Casey vs the Deja Vu
by Mrs.Phineas Bogg
Summary: AU Story 3-Following "Chuck vs. the Ex-Wife & Chuck Vs. The Florists" – Disaster strikes the Buy More and it's up to a distraught Agent Casey to put all the pieces together and bring justice for his team. His quest finds him joining a clandestine group that wants to test their state of the art tracking equipment. (Based off the movie "Deja Vu")
1. Same as it ever was

_**~~Author Note:** **This is my third Chuck fan fiction that follows the AU story line I created for Agent John Casey with **__**'Chuck Vs. the Ex-wife' ****and '**__**Chuck Vs. The Florists.'**** It's better to take a peek at those two before getting into this one, but that's only my suggestion. :) **_

_**I was greatly inspired to write this after watching a great Sci-Fi drama called **__**'Déjà vu.' So while there's humor, it's a darker tone. I'm letting readers know in case they say, **__**'Hey! This plot is familiar!'**** This is not exactly a cross-over. I take no credit for the original ideas, only the (hopefully) unique way I meshed the plot of the movie with the world of Team Chuck. I hope you enjoy this Casey-centric fic! Mrs. PB.~~**_

_**-Oo-  
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**Chapter 1: Same as it ever was**

If somebody had warned Major John Casey that he would have worst day of his entire life, he would have shrugged it off with his impeccable, sardonic grin. _It was the same as it ever was,_ just like the song lyrics that blared from his mint stereo set. He always appreciated the wisdom of the 'Talking heads.' Today was Saturday and the start of a week-long vacation. Casey expected to spend most of it at home doing_ absolutely nothing_. He checked the time after shuffling around the kitchen preparing his snack.

Exactly 11:15am.

The night before managed to put in a full nine hours of sleep and didn't wake up until ten in the morning. He decided his agenda for today would be to drink fine wine, gorge on bumblebee tuna and Ritz crackers and just let his mind go numb.

As relaxing as those options sounded, Casey's mind was rarely at ease since he discovered his ex-wife's secret; they had a daughter. Little Charlotte was a six-year-old burgeoning beauty and Casey loved her madly. His association with her mother, beautiful and strong willed Julia Forsythe, deepened and they danced around committment. This was despite the fact that she and Charlotte lived way up in Canada. Casey did all he could to keep his family situation under wraps. In the last year, his cover was nearly compromised twice. Old villains came back to haunt him and they dangled his new-found family as bait.

The last case beat his psyche the hardest. Casey discovered that foolhardy, aging members of the clandestine organization, 'Dracon,' were hiding out in California. In 1989 they kidnapped his new bride Julia and tried to force Government secrets from her with an outrageous torture tactic. Julia had no knowledge of Casey's 'Tony Rosella' cover up to that point. However, she gave nothing away to compromise him. Casey's admiration and desire for her grew tenfold when he learned of this a few months ago.

_"Love is for suckers, Chuck." _He recently told the Buy more nerd. That was the biggest pile of manure he ever spewed. Love had never been _more _a part of his life than now, at least not since he met Julia a lifetime ago. She was the only one who penetrated the solid armor he encased himself in, and the only one he allowed to fully do so. Then, there was the exception of the Buy More nerd.

Casey vowed to never tell a single soul that he lost his nerve for Chuck Bartowski's elimination. After General Beckman called him with orders to stop, Casey hurried home and shed a few tears. If the day to dispose of Chuck ever came again, Casey wasn't sure if he could follow through and he'd kill the ones that tried. It was a twisted logic, but why should anyone else have the privilege? If Chuck had to die, Casey wanted full responsibility, just as he took on the responsibility of _saving _his life.

Casey cut the rock music and flipped the disc to play a soothing Beethoven. Just as he situated the headphones on, a series of heart wrenching wails erupted from Chuck's apartment.

"Ellie!"

Casey ripped off the headphones and leaped out of his easy chair. Never mind that he was still decked in pajamas, a silk robe and bedroom slippers, trouble invaded the Bartowski home. He pulled a spare automatic from a hidden compartment in chair arm and ran out the door. Ellie moaned louder, then her voice muffled. When Casey peeked in, he saw her crying against Devon's chest. They both sobbed unconsolably.

_"Chuck! Chuck! Oh god! No! No! No!... Not Chuck!" _Ellie gasped.

"Babe! Please! Maybe it's not true…maybe he's safe! Babe! I'm so sorry!"

Casey's heart curled into a tight knot. He skipped the pleasantries and banged on their door, splintering the wood. It took a moment, but Devon finally pulled it open, not bothering to hide his tears.

"I heard screaming, what happened? What happened to Chuck?"

Casey rushed inside the apartment; Devon moved out of his way too stunned to answer. Ellie collapsed in a fetal position on the wooden floor, her face in her hands. She wailed for her brother, and mumbled Morgan and Sarah's names. The mid-morning news broadcasted live and the reporter's chilling words cut through Casey like a double-edged sword.

_"Tragedy struck the Burbank mall at approximately 11:00am…"_

Casey stepped over Ellie and sank into the couch. His jaw inched open wider and wider as the camera panned from the stricken reporter to the scene of a horrific explosion of what was twenty minutes ago, _'Buy More.'_

Fires burned and black plumes of smoke saturated the air in the background, making it hard to view the scene. Casey was so engrossed in the report he didn't realize he had fallen to his knees beside Ellie and stroked her hair. She grasped at his robes, and sobbed in his lap.

"Ellie…I…I don't know what…" Casey was at a loss for words. Comfort was not his strong suit.

Devon sank next to him and pried Ellie from off the floor, cradling her. Casey looked at them in a panic.

"Tell me Chuck wasn't at work today. Tell me he was _out_ of the store!"

Devon cradled Ellie._ "I can't say! _He left here around eight o'clock. He said he had an important errand to run before work. Ellie tried to reach him later but he didn't answer his cell. She called Morgan to remind him to pick up steaks for dinner tonight. _Oh my god!_ I can't believe this happened! Who would do this? _Why?_ All those people!"

There was still a glimmer of hope that Chuck survived, but Sarah hadn't called him either. Casey leaped to his feet and bounded out.

_"I don't know who!_ But I'm going to find out right now! Take care of her, man!"


	2. Casey's failure

**Chapter 2: Casey's failure**

The scene at the Buy More parking lot was a swirling nightmare of smoldering blazes and acrid smoke. The rescue workers wore heavy-duty face masks as they picked through the burned out shell of the building and they came prepared for the worst. When Casey arrived, hundreds of body bags lined the parking lot, there seemed to be no end to the discoveries of strewn limbs and fried corpses.

Casey couldn't launch investigations, not with the swarms of fire, police, and rescue workers running around. Chaos reigned and his orderly mind tried to process everything as fast as it could. The news crews would be all over him. They circled like greedy vultures, swooping down and barraging questions on anyone who fell within their sight. Was it an act of terrorism or a hidden gas leak? Was it a disgruntled employee with a grudge and dynamite on his hands? There was nothing to be done at the Buy More, so Casey sprinted to the _'Orange Orange' _to find Sarah. The place was empty. He slammed the counter and a weary pimpled teenager retreated from the back room. He recognized Casey as a Buy More employee and stared him up and down as if he were a ghost.

"Sarah's not here…_she_…she had went to the Buy More just before the bombing…she was with some friends." He mumbled through tears.

Casey perked up. "Friends? _Who?"_

"I've never seen them before…a woman and her daughter. She was pretty...and the little girl was real cute. They sat right there and drank fruity smoothies. They wanted to see Chuck and I heard the woman say she had a surprise for…_uh_… _John_…but that's it…I…I can't talk anymore."

The kid wretched and raced out of the shop, letting his breakfast fly all over the pavement. Casey stood as frozen as the yogurt. It couldn't have been them. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Julia's house number; No answer. He left an urgent message.

"Julia, it's John, when you hear this, call my cell immediately!"

Casey called her dance studio, a cheery voice answered.

_"Silver steps, how may I help you?"_

"Yes, hi, Laura, this John Casey, I'm looking for Julia, is she available?"

His mind begged and screamed for her to come to the phone. Laura hesitated, but then spoke quickly.

_"Okay! You weren't supposed to know, but Julia left last night to go and visit Charlotte's father…__oh gee! That's __you, isn't it? It was meant to be a surprise! Please don't tell her I told you. __Mr. Casey?"_

Casey's face went ashen and he swallowed the lump about to suffocate him. "No…_ nooooo_…I guess I missed her! I'll find her… I'll find _them."_ His voice cracked just as he clicked off the phone and he grabbed the counter to steady himself. "Stay in control, Casey! _Stay_ _in control_…you're the only one left."

The anguish was ready to burst forth. He couldn't run outside and make a scene. That was not his style. He punched in the freezer code and stumbled down to the Castle. He buckled onto the table and let out the loudest cry of his life. For a long while he moaned in grief and ignored the blinking VDT. He eventually stretched out his arm and pushed the receiver button.

General Beckman's face appeared, as expressionless as ever. "Major Casey, we just got the report on the Buy More explosion. What's the status?"

"Dead…dead…_all dead."_ He murmured, keeping his head buried in his arms.

"Sit up and repeat that, Major. I couldn't hear you."

Casey bit his lip, his fury mounting. He turned over and grasped the edges of the screen with such vehemence that Beckman rolled her chair back alarmed.

"I said they're _all dead,_ General! All of them! Chuck, Sarah…Julia…_my baby!"_ He screamed into the monitor.

Beckman's eyes twitched with remorse and she inhaled sharply. "I'm sorry, Major. But this is a _dire_ emergency. The freedom of the United States has been severely compromised now that the Intersect is gone! We must…"

Casey shook the screen until the broadcast disrupted, but it quickly restored itself. He at last saw the cruelty in his life's work. He recognized in Beckman, the cold-hearted callousness that harbored and nurtured so long and it finally eroded.

"Didn't you hear what I said? They are dead! My _family_ is dead! You got what you wanted, Chuck is _gone!_ You don't have to keep badgering me about killing him; someone already did it for me! General Beckman, I am through with these missions, it's over, and I'm finished!" He fumed, tears blinding his eyes.

Beckman shook her head saddened. "Major Casey, I can appreciate your grief. It was incidental and tragic that Julia and your daughter arrived today. You must pull yourself together and get on the next plane to Washington for a disaster conference. I just received word from the hospital in your area; they found Chuck's body and we called for the confirmation. I'm sending a team down there to dismantle the Castle."

Casey gazed at her incensed. "Dismantle, _huh?_ Tell your crew to stay home! I'll _dismantle_ it for you!"

He jumped up, poised to tear the place apart. Agent Beckman raised her hand and hollered sternly.

"That is enough, John! We are investigating and working as fast as we can to find out who is responsible, but you must come back here_**. **_That is a_ direct order!"_

"Don't you understand, General? _I'm responsible!_ I was the one sworn to protect Chuck and the Intersect and _I failed!_ I failed my partner…I failed my family! If anyone is going to catch this bastard, it's going to be _me!_ Do you hear me? I'm not coming back until I bring this terrorist down!"

Before Beckman could reply, Casey shut down the equipment. He wiped his eyes and stormed from the shop. He ran fast to his vehicle, ducking the hordes of reporters and lingering crowds. The families of the slain piled into the parking lot and broke over police barriers. They bawled over body bags and demanded answers. Casey planned to return at a more convenient time, preferably in the dead of night, when he could focus on sifting for evidence. There was nothing left to lose. The mission, and any hope for his future happiness had come to an explosive finish.


	3. Identification

**Chapter 3: Identification**

_A/N: A small warning: Description of a major character death._

The hospital was in its own state of chaos with infuriated and distressed citizens identifying the remains of loved ones. EMTS barged in one after the other, wheeling body bags to the morgue. Casey rushed into the lobby, flashing his badge at the harried guard situated at front.

"I received a call about the body of a young man brought in from the bomb site and I need to confirm his identity." He stated with brusque authority. "Which way to the morgue?"

The short guard trembled under his glare and pointed left. "Just…just follow the others, sir."

"Much obliged." He muttered and rushed past the swinging doors.

Casey was struck forcefully with the concentrated odor of anti-septic chemicals. Morgues never failed to depress him. Aside from the obvious reasons, it just seemed their very design was calculated to impress gloom and doom upon anyone who entered. Casey stole down the murkily painted, green corridor, and into the examining room. He refused to hunt for the bodies of his wife and daughter, nor for Agent Walker. There was only one way he could help them now.

A lone coroner examined a still, tall form on the metal table. Casey grimaced; he didn't need to look further to know that it was Chuck's body. The doctor glanced up and frowned.

"This is a restricted area. We have an identification list and will call the family members in order."

Casey showed his badge and edged closer to the table.

"Major John Casey, NSA. I believe you received a telephone call from a General Beckman? You have the body of Charles Irving Bartowski on your table." His voice came out thick and he swallowed down the bile that crept up his throat. Identifications never bothered him before, but now he felt about ready to keel over.

"Doctor Elias Bradley. Yes, that's correct. Boy, you people sure work fast! Poor young buck, he looked like a nice kid. I don't know what business the NSA has with him though…but that's not _my_ business anyway. From the remnants of his clothing, I assume he was a 'Buy More' Employee, but had some position of oversight?"

"Yeah, he was a computer technician." Chuck was also a true hero. There was no doubt in Casey's mind after spending the last year protecting him.

Casey finally mustered the courage to look at the corpse. Chuck's eyes were wide open, stuck in that memorable, horrified glare he would make when confronted with danger. Casey pulled out a pair of rubber gloves and snapped them on loud for effect, but the body didn't move. He sighed miserably and gently drew Chuck's eyes closed.

"Sorry, doc. It's a little unnerving to see him like this." He admitted.

"No problem, I imagine it would be. They're so vivid and full of life…it's almost like he's begging for help…_anyway_, sorry… One thing that stumped me are the burn marks on his body…they just seem inconsistent with being caught in an explosion."

Casey pulled the sheet off and peered over the length of Chuck's form. The burns were in haphazard positions all over his skin, save for his face. A surprised gasp escaped him when he observed Chuck's right arm.

"Where the hell is his right hand?" Casey asked incredulously.

"That's what I'd like to know. A bomb doesn't pick and choose which limb to sever…nor does it work so neatly. I was glad the NSA called me when they did, because I was just about to turn this one over as a homicide. I can't bring myself to believe he died from explosion trauma."

Casey drew back a little and grabbed his neck. Every muscle went taut with stress. "Where was his body found, Dr. Bradley?"

It was pulled from the garbage disposal area. They found him dangling out of a dumpster. Their first thought was that he had been fortunate enough to escape through the back exit of the store, and the force of the blast sent him flying into the bin."

"_Huh_…I don't know…something like that would have left major cuts and bruises all over him. I don't see many and it still doesn't explain his severed hand." Casey replied indignant.

"Right again, which by the way, we didn't find. I'm very certain that this man was murdered, Major. He was murdered and placed on the scene of the explosion either before or after it happened."

Casey folded his arms. "What time was his body found?"

"About 10:50am. One of the garbage men made the call, he was very shaken up."

"_10:50?_ Doctor Bradley, the explosion didn't happen until _11:00am!"_

Casey had to walk away from the examining table. He punched his fists into his palms and cracked every knuckle. The snapping noises broke the morbid silence of the room. He bustled back to the table and gripped the ultra violet lamp to study Chuck's face. He suddenly noticed a sticky residue over his cheeks and lips. He picked up a long q-tip and traced the edge over Chuck's mouth.

"What is this gunk? Did you notice this, Dr. Bradley?"

"I didn't have much of a chance to examine the body before you came in, Major Casey. It looks like some kind of tape residue."

"There are silver flecks here, I'd say it looks like duct tape. Charles Bartowski _was _kidnapped and murdered, Doctor, possibly by the very same person who blew up the Buy More."

Casey yanked the gloves off and washed his hands. He approached the doorway and faced the coroner grimly.

"Doctor Bradley, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell _anyone_ that I came here today, not even General Beckman. The NSA likes to keep things absolutely covert. I will be handling this case, so expect to hear back from _me_ for your follow up report…_oh_…the deceased has a sister who's a doctor here...It would be best if she didn't know either."

The doctor scratched his white hair and then smiled forlornly. _"Oh_…yes! _Eleanore!_ I should have made the connection. I haven't seen her today, such a sweet, young lady. She must be devastated."

"I'd say she is, she thinks the world of Chuck…a lot of people did, and most of them _are dead too."_

"_But I'm not. I'm alive and I'm not going anywhere."_ Casey thought. He would solve this crime no matter how long it took or what orders he had to break. The wanton murder of his family, friends, and the innocents would not go un-avenged.


	4. Save them

**Chapter 4: Save them**

Casey immediately returned to his apartment to shower away the reek of the fire and morgue room. He changed into a black tee and jeans and packed his large black duffel with the essentials. Major Beckman was livid. It was time to run.

"I need to find a Motel six…they'll leave the light on for me." He grumbled busily. _"Yeah_…so you can see the roaches!"

He made a mental checklist of everything he needed, which included weaponry, his private laptop and spy gear. Now came the most important. He walked slowly to his end table where his portrait of Reagan sat, and casually moved it over, picking up a colorful and sparkly macaroni frame. Little Charlotte smiled gleefully at him in her fluffy, pink tutu. His throat prickled and a noise between a whimper and a sigh escaped him. He kissed her image and packed the picture in the bag then crossed the room to his bookshelf.

Kneeling down, he pulled out a large, white photo album. Julia had designed him a 'Charlotte' timeline, making him a copy of every picture she had from her birth until the present. The last five pages were filled with pictures of them all together from his last few visits. No one could tell he was a hard nosed assassin in these photos. He was just a big bear of man bundled up in the Canadian wilderness with a huge smile and his long arms wrapped protectively around his family. He traced the pictures with his fingertips. He had forgotten what a genuine smile looked like, more specifically, his own. Julia chastised him that he should do it more, because she found it _'dashing'. _He had to laugh at her most recent comment about it.

_"John, what was the point of all that dental work if you don't even show it off? If you ask me, I wish you would have kept those adorable snaggle teeth!" _

Julia was always right on target with a reprimand and compliment rolled into one._  
_

He rose and clutched the book to his chest. It was a highly impractical thing to bring, but he couldn't part with it. The wheels in his head spun uncontrollably. It was too dangerous to log into his computer, he was positive Beckman was trying to track him down. As he locked up he peeked at the Bartowski door. Everything was silent. Devon and Ellie were undoubtedly at the hospital hiding their grief and bandaging survivors. Casey walked around the fountain and halted by Chuck's window. He stole a glance at his console. He almost expected to see the nerd clacking away on his computer like Doogie Howser.

_"Casey, you moron, check the room! There might be a clue in there!"_ He gritted his teeth and climbed inside. Columbo he wasn't, but he had to try.

He was struck by the condition of the room. _"Did a bomb strike here too?"_

Chuck's usually tidy bed was a wreck; bloodstains seeped into the mattress near the edge. He found swabs of balled up gauze stuffed in the wastebasket with more blood. Casey dug into his jacket pocket and put on a pair of gloves. The computer was on and displayed a montage of pictures with Chuck and Sarah. The sadness crept back to him. Poor Sarah, she was so young and confused with her latest mission. It was obvious she was desperately in love with Chuck. He debated checking the internet history, Beckman may have had her claws on it too. Casey flicked off the screen, spotting a torn note pasted on top with a message scribbled in red ink.

'_**SAVE THEM.'**_

"What the hell is this kid up to? What did he do this morning?" Casey wondered aloud.

It could have been a reminder for one of Chuck's many video games, but the answer didn't seem that simple. Could the kidnapper have written this? Maybe he was dealing with a schizophrenic psychopath, or it was just a cruel joke.

When Casey met Ellie and Devon, they were in their hospital scrubs and looked about ready to start their shifts. It struck him hard that Chuck may have been murdered in his own bedroom.

_"That would mean I was right next door snoring away when…"_ Casey refused to think about it further.

Casey fell on his knees and checked under the bed for Chuck's missing limb. What he found were dust balls and a few pairs of ripe converse sneakers. He staggered to his feet again and rubbed the back of his head impatiently. It couldn't have happened in this room. Chuck would have surely screamed loud enough for him to hear and at least tried to put up a fight. Save for the bloody rags and cotton, the room was clean. He checked inside the bathroom and found more evidence of a bloody mess hidden in the wastepaper basket and needle nosed pliers tossed in the sink.

_"Maybe he picked up a new method for popping zits?"_ Casey tried to humor himself. The mess was too neat for a severed hand.

Casey noticed Chuck's answering machine blink with two new messages and he played them back.

"_Chuck! Hey, it's me…where are you man? We're getting desperate over here! Can you please beg Big Mike to give you the assistant Manager's position? PUHLEEZE! We need you and your leadership skills, buddy. Working for Tang was a nightmare, working for Lester was a joke…and exhausting…bailing him out and all that... hellooooooo? Chuckie? Pick up! Oh yeah! That reminds me bro, Ellie wants you to pick up some steaks for dinner…hey, am I invited? I tried your cell but it must be dead or something… okay…guess you're really not home, I'll see ya when you come in…if you come in!"_

Casey stroked his chin. When they found Chuck's body, he didn't have his cell phone on him. Morgan's message came through at 10:00am. He felt bad for Morgan; he wasn't the worst kid, just an annoyance that needed to mature. The next message played and Casey jumped back. It was his own irritated and groggy voice.

_"Listen, you nerd, there had better be a good reason why you're calling me while I'm sleeping in…hello? Chuck? Are you there? Forget it, you're probably at work already."_ Click.

Casey's call was made at 10:15am.

_"When did I do that? Was I so tired I don't even remember?" _He thought with an odd feeling. It was no matter. The damage was already done and Chuck was still dead.

The Nerd Herder was missing from in front of the complex and a quick thought sprang to Casey as he left Chuck's apartment.

"My GPS Data logger! That'll tell me where his car went!"

Casey rummaged through his backpack and pulled out the small black device. He made sure to have one stored on the Nerd Herder for Chuck's protection. Casey went back into his apartment and quickly plugged in the logger. As soon as the data loaded on the screen, the file popped open and turned into a mess of code.

"_Dammit!_ A scrambler!" Casey yanked the logger from his drive and flung it. Forget technology. He had to rely on his wits.

Casey retrieved his bags and left his apartment for good. For the next few hours he needed to lay low and plan out a real course of action.


	5. An act of terrorism

**Chapter 5: An act of terrorism**

Casey rented in a dive not too far from the Buy More to wait for nightfall. Sleep and thoughts of eating eluded him. Television had zero charm and listening to any kind of music would only stir his emotions further, but the lyrics of 'Life during Wartime' swam through his head. It was one of the last songs he heard this morning.

'_This ain't no party, this ain't no disco this ain't no fooling around! ...This ain't no mudd club, or C. B. G. B. I ain't got time for that now!… Heard about Houston? Heard about Detroit? Heard about Pittsburgh, PA? You oughta know not to stand by the window somebody might see you up there… I got some groceries, some peanut butter, to last a couple of days. But I ain't got no speakers…ain't got no headphones, ain't got no records to play…'_

The lyrics ranted about all the discomforts in the life of a soldier and spy. He popped open his laptop. He had it registered to a phony persona to evade a trace. The Government didn't always trust their employees. He plugged in his flash drive to retrieve more pictures of his family. Looking at them, he started to cry, and that he loathed doing. He had acted callous today, not even bothering to claim their bodies or check if they were among the living.

"I know they weren't…that bomb gutted out the place from front to back…there was _no way_…I would have seen them somewhere." He bemoaned.

If he were to claim them right now, there would be too many unanswered questions and attention drawn on him. The Intersect mission was top secret and had to remain that way, even if the Intersect itself were gone. Casey curled to the corner of the bed, scratching his arms and legs from the stiff and itchy fabric of the dull white sheets. He rubbed his temple and closed his eyes momentarily. All the geeks, nerds, and weirdos were gone in a searing instant.

Casey could admit he had grown accustomed to each of them and their foolish quirks. They had put up with his rough and gruff demeanor, especially Morgan Grimes. Perhaps he himself was just a player in a cornucopia of oddball characters. Casey sunk his head against his chest, trying to control his breathing. He couldn't lose his mind. He wouldn't go over that precipice, at least not until it was completely over. He could only imagine what Beckman and the others would say at the disaster conference. It was only right that they stripped him of his badge, gun and title. He might as well flee the country, maybe settle down and raise sheep in Scotland or somewhere Celtic and change his name to Shamus O'Grady.

The sun settled into the horizon and cast glowing slices of orange light through the chinks of the wooden shutters. Casey's body lurched forward as he passed into a fitful sleep. A sudden movement a half hour later immediately woke him up. His keen hearing picked up footsteps outside his window. Casey slid down the bed, picking up his pants leg to retrieve a small pistol. The intruder attempted to look inside.

Casey tumbled off the bed and backed against the door. He curled his fingers over the knob and after the count of three swung it open and lunged at the intruder. A woman screamed and struggled under his iron grip around her neck.

He wagged his gun near her face. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't twist or blow your head right off?"

"If you get off me, I can explain who I am, _Major Casey!" _The woman choked.

Upon hearing his name he let her fall to the porch with a sharp thud. The woman picked herself up and dusted off a smart, navy blue pants suit. She smoothed back her wavy dark hair. Her mouth curled into a snarl and she glared at him with icy blue eyes.

"That's_ okay, _I can help myself, the NSA doesn't teach manners, do they?"

"Not necessarily in my job description. And no one knew I was here, how did you find me?"

He gave her the once over. She was a sassy one in her late thirties and beautiful, in a power hungry, yet chaste, button nosed sort of way. Attraction was the furthest thing from his mind and his instincts kicked in to trust no one.

"Let me guess, did Beckman send you here to butter me up?" He sneered.

She flipped her hair back and grimaced. "I resent that remark, Major. I'm nobody's gal Friday or boy toy. My name is Agent Rhea Jones."

"Agent for _who?_ FBI, CIA, NSA…Hugh Hefner? I know a honeypot when I see one."

"Very _funny. _You men are all alike, thoughtless pigs that can't take the heat working around a woman that's even _slightly_ attractive. Let's just say I work for a small, but very powerful Government offshoot. I'm part of a newly formed investigative unit for local terrorism. As in, terrorism that takes place on U.S. soil." She flashed an official looking badge with a harsh mug shot.

Casey's mood softened, but he kept his guard. He placed the pistol back under his pants leg and somberly watched her every move. The agent was like ice, but it wasn't going to be his place to melt her down.

"Terrorism, _huh?_ Is that what your people suspect?"

A flicker of grief passed over her face, but she quickly replaced with indignation. _"Any_ act on such a violent and destructive scale should be deemed, _terrorism_, Major. To make a long story short, we want you to join our surveillance team…only we have _exceptional_… _time…restraints."_

He noticed that she chose her last words carefully, but didn't read too much into it.

"Go on, you have my attention…for _now."_

"Our Headquarters houses one of the most innovative and technologically advanced tracking systems in the entire world, not even the White House knows of it yet_._ We chose to take on this case because it wasn't something that would send up flares in the Government as much as say…_the World Trade Center." _She gave him a pert smile. The ice was melting.

"Agent Casey, we need _you_ to look at our feeds. We want you to tell us what's missing…what's wrong, what shouldn't be there…what we should ignore and what we should pounce on."

Casey smiled wryly. "And just how am I going to do that? Wouldn't it be a _little_ difficult considering the Buy More is a heap of rubble!"

"You have a better idea?"

Casey shrugged and stared at his watch and the horizon. Rhea shook her head. "Don't tell me you were gonna go scope it out after midnight_? _I'm telling you now, that place was picked dry like a turkey after the holidays. Anything the bomb didn't destroy, the looters are already on top of it. Believe me, Major, it's a big waste of time."

Casey hated when his ideas deflated, but he didn't let his disappointment show. Agent ice cube was right; there wouldn't be any substantial evidence that _hadn't_ disintegrated in the explosion.

"Well then, are you gonna tell me what this _exceptional time restraint_ is all about, Agent Jones? Because I have bigger fish to fry."

"Forget the fish, Major. If you join us, you'll be frying up Moby Dick in lemon sauce. I can't explain anything to you if you refuse_._ You know how it goes, its…classified information." She glanced at him almost tenderly. "Major, What have you got to lose?"

Casey crossed his arms and heaved his shoulders. "Absolutely _nothing._ Let me get my bags."

Major John Casey had already lost _everything _at 11:00am that morning.


	6. Chatty

**Chapter 6: Chatty**

Casey admired Agent Jones' aggressive driving skills. She swerved and honked, waved her fists, and took every known shortcut she could think of. They were headed to the Mojave Desert, a nearly two-hour drive from the Buy More ruins. When the traffic finally dispersed, Casey suddenly realized he didn't know _where_ in the desert.

"Hey Jones, mind if I ask where I'm being hijacked?"

"Edwards Air Force Base…well, not quite _on_ the base, but close enough not send up those icky red flags, we all get along." She said coolly.

"I've worked with some of those guys."

Casey forced his gaze on the long stretch of highway and folded his arms. His eyes begged for sleep, but he refused to doze off. He couldn't fully trust her, not yet. She looked his way and grinned when an acidic rumbling sounded from his stomach.

"Hey, you must be hungry. I have some handy-snacks in that blue bag on the back seat. Ya know, cheese and crackers with the little red stick? Tuna in a bag, crackers...a roll of that hard salami and cheddar. Help yourself."

Casey didn't refuse food and rummaged through it. He noticed a cooler lying on the floor and flipped it open.

"Golly gee, Miss Jones, do I get a juicy-juice with that too?"

Rhea tilted her head, suppressing laughter. _"Nooo_, too concentrated, burns my stomach, but there's orange Hi-C's!"

"Oh yeah, now that's _much_ better. You packed all the essentials."

Casey grabbed two juices and commenced eating a little of everything. He was hungrier than he thought. He observed Rhea from the corner of his eye; she tapped a beat on the steering wheel and hummed a Beatles song. He could tell she struggled to keep from making small talk. After a few minutes of tense silence, she became chatty.

"So Major, who else was lost in the bombing besides Chuck Bartowski and your partner…_Sally?"_

_"Sarah_…Sarah Walker."

"Right, but that wasn't her real name anyway."

Casey wondered how much she knew about Chuck and the Intersect, but played it cool. He still didn't know if any of this was Beckman's doing. He would grill all of them when he got to their Headquarters. He wiped his mouth and slurped down the juices in seconds.

"I have bottled water in there too…you never know if you'll get trapped in the desert or something." She said.

The air had dried out and his throat felt parched. Casey pulled a water out and guzzled it. Rhea glanced at him in awe while his Adam's apple bobbed up and down and he let out a breath of relief. With his thirst quenched, he dribbled the remainder of the water over his head and neck.

"What makes you think that I lost others besides Chuck and the rest of the employees, Jones?"

Rhea stared at him sympathetically. "You have the appearance of a man whose spirit was torn asunder. It wasn't just the mission that failed. Please believe me, I _do understand."_ She offered quietly.

Casey ducked his head down and pushed his chair as far back it could go for more leg room.

"With all due respect, Agent Jones, I don't want to talk about it. All I want to do is focus on finding this scumbag terrorist or whatever he is and toss him off a building…_after_ I break every bone in his body." He grumbled.

"Fair enough…we'll drop the personal stuff for now. _So_…what makes you think the bomber's a _he?"_

Casey let out an exaggerated groan. "Oh _great,_ I'm dealing with a feminist."

Rhea laughed. "Major, just because I assume otherwise doesn't make me a feminist. I just know the types you've dealt with."

_"Yeah,_ the sexy, malicious types, _rrrowww!"_

_"Ha! _The female criminals I've dealt with were anything _but_…I did a stint at a woman's prison when I was still green, and then _painfully_ figured out I'd rather be a data cruncher."

Casey actually laughed at her. _"_Sure, Jones. You just didn't want to tackle five hundred pound hooches in cell block four named Debbie, with bloody and dripping, _'I heart Johnny'_ tattoos."

Rhea slapped the steering wheel playfully. "You are so _perceptive!_ But all kidding aside, Major, your input will be highly valuable. You'll be working with me and three specialized trackers. We want to find the perpetrator just as badly as you do."

Casey grew sullen. "I don't know about that…"

Rhea sighed and tried to draw him out a little more. "So…are you from California?"

"No."

_"Okay_…well, I'm from New York."

"Figures, you've got lip, you're nosy, and you got that New Yawk squawk. I did a sting in Brooklyn once, back in '89."

"Awesome. Born and raised in Bensonhurst, Major." Rhea snorted more laughter. Casey actually liked her laugh. It was loud, cheerful, and genuine. She wasn't afraid to let loose all the crazy sounds that flew out of a person's mouth when they really cracked up.

"I'm pretty sure we hit that neighborhood."

"I've heard about your exploits, Major. You brought down the entire Falconetti-Dragonetti mob family! That was something New York's Finest couldn't do for years! How did you like Brooklyn, anyway?"

"I didn't see the best parts of it, well...the waterfront was interesting...and the pizza and bagels rock."

"Yep, it's all in the tap water, I tell ya."

Casey drew a deep breath and folded his hands behind his head, feeling slightly more secure. He had nothing to fear from this woman. Her defensive skills were lacking, and he could easily take her down if he had too.

"Look Jones, enough chit-chat, I'm gonna try and get some sleep. Wake me up when we pull in."

Rhea quickly put her gaze on the road as he shifted his large, muscular body into a comfortable position. Why did men always look as innocent as babies when they closed their eyes?

"Sure thing…_Casey." _She murmured.

Rhea felt anguish radiating from him as if it were her own, but she respected his silence. Grief came in many forms and he wasn't the 'bare your soul' type by any means. She wasn't looking to crack his veneer, but a little prick into his psyche wouldn't hurt. Just having a listening ear helped her to get over her own deep pain. When Major Casey was ready, he would open up, and she would be ready to comfort.


	7. Meet and Greet

**Chapter 7: Meet and Greet**

Rhea pulled into the Air base a little past nine o' clock. As she drove up to the gate, she flashed her badge and the stoic, blonde guard nodded, giving Casey a suspicious glance.

"It's okay, Tim, he's one of us. This is Major John Casey…_shh!_ He's sleeping." She chuckled.

The soldier smirked and waved them through the complex. Casey woke up startled from the roar of a jet plane taking to flight. He shielded his eyes, and found himself staring into the mouth of a giant and brightly illuminated funnel shaped dome.

"This is where history is made, Major. It houses the tracking equipment."

"_Damn_, Jones, how much juice does this thing use?"

"You _don't_ wanna know. I'll let the real experts explain it."

Rhea parked the car and Casey stumbled out, grateful to stretch his long limbs. They passed a second set of guards and Rhea led the way, exposing her unflattering badge despite that they all knew exactly who she was. Casey felt she had a pretty memorable face– soft, dewy features, clean, white teeth, full and teasing lips. Her eyes, they were as blue as the Pacific and lit up a little _too_ eerily.

"I'll make sure you get all the clearance you need, Major, and you'll have to pose for one of these ID's."

"_Wunderbar,_ I'll make sure to say cheese_."_

"_Danke,_ Major…come this way, please."

"By the way, Jones, it's none of my business, but…do you always wear blue contacts? I'm just _really_ feeling you as a doe-eyed gal. And I saw your badge up close."

Rhea stopped short with a groan and sheepishly gazed up at him. John Casey was the tallest man she ever met. She focused on his _real _blue eyes, a shade that turned light or dark depending on his mood, shifting hues like an ocean.

"_Darn it! _Way too light, huh? Ya got me, Major…yeah, I got baby brown eyes…so sue me."

"Nothing wrong with brown eyes." Casey had a vision of Chuck's lifeless ones staring and pleading for his help. He gasped and covered it over with a cough.

"_Uhh_…now where are we going?

Rhea led Casey down another blinding corridor and into a darkened room. He almost felt his pupils dilate from all the lighting changes. The room was enormous. An array of mini monitors and giant screens blinked with all types of graphs and images of the earth. Various maps pumped out electronic data every three seconds on the smaller ones. Three bored people sat idly at a long white table in front of it. Whoever funded this program went cheap with the furnishings and pumped all the money into the feeds and wires. Casey grew queasy looking at all the multi-colored mini lights and assorted knobs and dials. He folded his arms and paced around. They all stared him down, their eyes burned with questions.

Casey surveyed them. He wasn't up to being kind. "Well, looks like we got our very own mini U.N. base! White, black, Chinese and…"

"A Jew. I'm Simon, that's Wang, and the lovely piece of dark chocolate on the right is, _Althea."_ The lanky young man in the middle droned. He had a full brown beard and head of hair that would have rivaled Moses himself. "Hey Rhea, is Major _thick neck_ over here always so snarky?"

Rhea blushed; this was not the meeting she hoped for. "Unfortunately, _yes." _She nudged Casey, but he was listless and cranky. The onslaught of technology was so _'in your face'_ he developed a migraine.

"Where's the Hispanic? Or is he outside mopping the floors?" Casey knew he was being _very _politically incorrect and immature and he had no good reason for it.

Althea sucked her teeth and rolled her wide set eyes. "Figures we got the _'massa' _coming in here and thinking he's all that and a bag of chips!"

"And it figures _you'd _be the sassy chick!" Casey replied unflappably.

"_Dude,_ like…just chill out, _okaaay?_ We're all here to solve a case… not be best friends. Don't be so _bogus!"_ Wang said in the Americanized tone of voice only a native of China could master. Wang shook his head and kept his arrogant, plump face focused on the small computer in front of him.

Casey bestowed him a half grin, half snarl. "That's funny, I didn't know surfer dudes came in jumbo size! Catch any good cyber–waves lately?"

Rhea stomped her foot and pulled Casey away from the table.

"_Dammit,_ Major! What is _wrong_ with you? You are gonna jeopardize everything! _You think who you are, _don'tchya? Stop acting like a douche, _shut up_ and _pay attention!"_

"I would pay attention if someone would actually say something useful! Instead of staring at me all day!" He yelled back her.

Rhea flicked her hand at him disgusted and stormed away. Casey clamped his mouth tight; this woman had nerve and lots of it. He decided to take her advice and gawked at her with a crooked smile.

"You're _very_ New York when you're angry!"

"You ain't…_haven't _seen the half of it!"

Casey turned back to the others and dropped his tirade. He ran his hands over his face exhausted.

"_Okay…_look guys, I'm _sure _you're a pleasant bunch of people and… I'm…_sorry._ It took his remaining energy to filter the one word through gritted teeth. "All I want are some answers!"

Rhea approached and put a consoling hand on his forearm. Casey flinched with sadness. She had a warm touch, just like Julia. He looked down on her and she smiled teasingly.

"If you _promise_ to just be a little more patient, I _promise _to take off my contacts, deal?"

"How can I say no to that?"

So much for Agent _'Ice cube'_ Jones.

**-Oo-**

"Major John Casey?"

All heads turned to the distinct, gravelly voice from the opposite end of the room by the back corridor. A tall, olive-toned man with a shock of peppery hair and bushy black eyebrows stood before them. His hands balled in his pockets and Casey noted how he jangled loose change. A nervous habit that to Casey, spelled out his greed.

"Yes?"

"I'm Special Agent Victor Costa, the…_Hispanic_…in charge of this unit. Now that I'm done mopping the floors, I'll be more than happy to answer your questions…_within reason_. However, any grievances and additional issues should be addressed only to _me."_ He cast a withering glare at Rhea that didn't go unnoticed by Casey.

Rhea's hand was still on Casey's arm and he felt her fingers curl tighter around him. Casey flexed his muscle, offering her a small reassurance. His _'Do not trust' _radar rose with this new character's sudden appearance.

"Understood…_SA._" Casey saluted.

Special Agent Costa didn't appreciate the play on words.

"Very good, _gringo._ Now if you and Agent Jones will follow me, we can have our little discussion. Then, you can come back here and our trackers will teach you how all our neat toys work!"

Casey's jaw clenched and he felt the veins near his temples pulse. He wasn't used to being pushed around in this condescending manner and he didn't appreciate it. He followed behind Rhea, but then she casually maneuvered behind _him,_ sticking close to his broad back.

"Am I to take it you're afraid of this guy?" Casey whispered.

"_Me? Afraid?_ _Nahh_…I _uhh_…don't like his cologne."

"Right…is someone finally gonna tell me what I want to know?" He demanded.

"He'll tell you…_something…_don't worry." She murmured.

Casey nodded and peeked at the tracking room one last time, he assumed that they used satellite to garner the feeds; however what he saw on the screen caused his heart to leap into his throat. The words _'Live Feed'_ flashed across the screen and Wang spun the dial on the desktop. The feed instantly zoomed into the earth, through the atmosphere, and onto the terrain. Within seconds Casey caught a glimpse of the satellite's target. Standing in all its brilliant Green and yellow glory, was the image of the Buy More. It was _his_ Buy More, complete with a happy-go-lucky Chuck Bartowski bounding through the entrance.


	8. A few explanations

**Chapter 8: A few explanations**

When Rhea saw Casey staring, she tugged on his arm and struggled to drag him down the hallway toward Costa's office. Casey shrugged her off roughly and she fell against the wall. He tugged her forward before the back of her head made contact with a fire extinguisher.

"What was that I just saw? That thing said _Live_ _Feed_ and it showed the Buy More! Don't you lie to me Agent Jones!"

Rhea straightened up, a little frightened at his sudden outburst. He was a very intimidating man when angered.

"Agent Costa is waiting to explain a few things! _Ask him!"_

She marched ahead into the office and he remained right at her heels. Costa lounged in a high swivel chair, his hands folded under his chin and his feet up on the black desk. Casey peered around the unfinished room. The walls were primed and the plaster chipped over visible cracks. Costa had a few gray dividers around his workspace and a giant roll of dark red carpet propped against the back wall. Two black metal chairs were situated before his desk. He gestured for them to enter.

"Have a seat, Agents."

Rhea slipped into the chair on the left, rubbing the shoulder that Casey grabbed. She glared at him and pouted. Casey caught her eye and was tickled with regret for manhandling her. He didn't acknowledge it and focused on Costa.

"Major Casey, I'm sure Rhea has explained the mission of our small group, and as you can see…it's _very_ small, your presence makes six."

"Yeah, I get it, you're _tiny,_ what I'd like to know right now is, did General Beckman put you up to this? Do you have connections to the NSA or CIA?"

Costa unfolded his hands and crossed his legs. "No, not really. I know of her, but I wouldn't be caught working for _that _spinster. Director Graham...well...he was a good golf buddy...a shame to have lost him."

Casey narrowed his eyes. He debated on mentioning the Intersect. He didn't have to think further.

"Don't worry, Major, the secret of the Intersect being in Chuck's brain is safe with us. Why do you think we're so intent on this case? The Government is probably up in arms…between his death and all the phony Intel chips floating around, this world could be heading for major disaster."

_"Gee,_ wouldn't it be something if there was a way to control all that. You know what I mean? Who needs an Intersect when you have a satellite that can infiltrate _anything._" Casey mused sarcastically and Costa's dark eyes twitched with hostility.

Casey was not finished digging under the Agent's skin. He held up his right hand and showed Costa his 'Dracon' ring. "How about this little piece of bling? Do you have any ties with Dracon?"

_"Dracon?_ They've been trying to unearth our secrets since we started building communications in 2003. I told them I didn't care about their Cracker Jack box toys and surreptitious ways, no _one _entity can control the world, they just haven't figured that out yet."

Casey nodded, feeling a little more at ease. "Next question. What was I seeing on that feed before I came here? I saw the Buy More and Chuck, but how is that possible, it's gone and he's dead. Don't tell me it was a _photo_, because Chuck was dancing his way into the store."

"You are correct Major, only that was a feed that came from four days ago."

Casey's face crinkled in confusion. "You mean a recording?"

"Not even close."

Casey cocked an eyebrow. "_Hum._ Explain this advanced technological achievement to me, Costa...but do it simply, I'm too tired for Einstein jargon and universal theories."

Costa grinned, he was a handsome older man, and his smile could disarm, but Casey could almost see a sinister force behind it. He glanced at Rhea; apparently she had the same vibe because she constantly fidgeted in her seat and forced herself to smile back.

"I will leave all that for the trackers, Major. Our technology consists of seven stealth-orbiting satellites. At any given time, four of them could be surveying one area. This is our first-run, so naturally we have four overlooking the state of California."

"Very impressive, but that still doesn't explain…"

Rhea jumped into the conversation. "As Agent Costa mentioned, it takes four days for the data to record and make it's way to us… but I really think Agent Casey needs to be _shown_ and not told, he seems that type." She faltered, looking back and forth at the men.

Her interference annoyed Costa, but he didn't address it. He stood up and yawned. "That is if the Major is ready to be shown. I believe that we need to get a fresh start of all this in the morning. I for one am tired."

Casey jumped to his feet. "But wouldn't that mean we _lose_ eight hours? The Buy More could be closed and then what…"

"Then we move our target to someplace else, like Chuck's apartment. Major Casey, we can see anything we want to. It's like having the eyes of _God."_ Costa explained with too much enthusiasm.

Casey hurried to the doorway. "I'm sorry, but I need to get a partial run-down _now._ I can sleep later…I can sleep when I'm dead, but right now I need to do what you and your people are promising me and find this killer!"

Casey stalked out of the room and Rhea followed. "That was telling him, Major. He tends to get lax with things. Time is of _strict_ essence with these satellite feeds."

"I figured that, it's four days and…twelve hours behind us already…so…that means from this moment it will always be…four days and twelve hours behind?"

"That's right. We can _really _start keeping count when you start viewing them."

As they approached the tracking room Casey put a hand on Rhea's shoulder. He mustered up humility.

"_Wait Jones. _I'm sorry about…knocking you into the wall."

Rhea shrugged and playfully punched him. "Hey, I guess sometimes you don't know your own strength, ya hulk."

"No, _I don't_…but…I'm really not one to hit women…I _just…"_

"I never thought you were, you're just a smart-aleck with a big chip on your shoulder and this is your worst day ever. Am I right about that?"

"You read me very well, Agent Jones."

"I always had a knack for seeing past the obvious in others. I mean I try to find the good, even if it's sorely lacking. You can't fool me, Major. I know you have some soft spots under all that big headed stoicism."

Casey rolled his eyes. "You women are all the same. You can never accept that a man just may be _who he is_, and _not_ a hidden marshmallow fluff! You said it before, I _think _who I am…because I _know _who I am."

"I'm glad you do, Major. That's why we need you on this assignment, there's no room for marshmallows and indecisiveness here."

"Right, we'll leave that to the women." Casey remarked and went ahead into the room.

"_Major!"_

Casey turned warily and she came up close to him, practically whispering in his ear.

"I know what you tried to imply to Costa about the satellites being used for…"

"Devious spy tactics for obtaining Government secrets? I wouldn't put it past anybody, especially someone like him."

"Yeah well…_please,_ just watch yourself, he could pull you off this project as easily as he put you on."

Casey sighed. _"Fine,_ but it seems to me that your trust in him is minimal too, am I right?"

Rhea nodded quick, afraid to say more. "Hey, I'm gonna go wash up and get some real food from our in-house cafeteria…do you want something?"

"Bring whatever is edible and make the Joe strong."

"Sure, Major. Black, four sugars."

"On the side!"

As she turned to leave, Casey called out.

_"Jones!"_

"Yeah?"

A small glint passed over his eyes and he gave her a bona fide smile for the very first time that day. She had to admit, it was very appealing.

"Thanks…just…_thanks."_


	9. Streaming the past

**Chapter 9: Streaming the past**

"Well stooges, let's get this show on the road!" Casey announced, taking a seat near Wang.

"Well, well, well, Shemp returns!" Simon retorted. "Are you ready to play in our sandbox, _now_, Major?"

"Yes, I am."

"Good, because there will be _no more_ outsiders allowed. We are closed, the tracking network is full!"

Simon adjusted a few knobs and Althea typed in some codes. "It's all yours, Wang! Let's resurrect the Buy More. I always did like their prices better than Target."

Casey rolled back in his chair, letting the experts do their work, but carefully inspecting their every move. A few minutes later he felt a light tap on his shoulder and turned to see Agent Jones. She placed a steaming, large cup of black coffee before him and tossed down a bunch of sugars. She put a paper bag in his lap and he opened it to find thick pastrami on rye with pickles and coleslaw.

"Deli fresh, Major, I made sure of it."

"I hope it's New York style."

Casey dug into the food hungrily as she pulled up a chair alongside him. He noticed she dressed down comfortably and changed into a pair of jeans and a fitted purple T-shirt and sneakers. The glare from the screens caught her pretty dark eyes and Casey grinned. He couldn't resist flirtation.

"Did Van Morrison have you for inspiration?"

Rhea batted her long lashes. "You said so yourself, Major, nothing wrong with brown-eyed girls. So, did these ghouls explain anything yet, or are they just amazing you with their imagery?"

"I imagine they haven't even begun to show off." Casey said.

Wang turned to them. "Okay folks, we're ready on _three_…" Within seconds, the Buy More appeared on the screen.

"Major, tell us where you would like to go?"

"What do you mean? You're there already."

"He means, what _section_ of the store, Major." Althea said.

Wang played with the dials. The POV shifted and to Casey's astonishment, they were transported _into_ the store. Wang worked the tracker like a pro, flicking back and forth at high speed, zooming in and out. Casey's widened eyes struggled to keep up with the images; it was if he were in the store himself running like a madman from aisle to aisle. He spotted Lester and Jeff playing rock-paper-scissors and arguing over who would fix a PC from 1993. Wang slowed down on the keypad, and it lingered on Anna Wu, massaging her purple painted nails through Morgan's new spiky hairdo in the storeroom. They talked about their plans for the night, yet another fun-filled evening with Morgan.

"Wow, isn't she a hot muffin!" Wang sighed. "What is she doin' with that hairy midget?"

Casey ignored him, straining to listen. "This thing picks up audio? _Turn it up!"_

Althea raised the sound bar and their voices filtered through crystal clear.

* * *

_"I do like it, Morgan…it's easier to manage. I like touching it…just stop making it so stiff with all this gunk."_

_"You saw my hair before, Anna, it flops more than my dad does on the couch."_

_"Hmm, that's true…maybe if you just tried…"_

* * *

Wang froze the image, still ogling Anna. Casey rubbed his mouth, trying to hide his disbelief. "Show me more, I'm not entirely convinced of what I'm seeing."

Wang changed the POV and they found themselves staring at a sorry looking blue Marlin with black electrical tape wrapped around its neck. The tracker slowed down on Big Mike. He was ready to take a massive bite out of a Hoagie with everything. Simon cringed at the unhealthy fusion of salted meats and cheeses, onion, lettuce and tomato all dripping with Russian dressing, mustard, mayo and…a little ketchup.

"I could go for one of those." Wang drooled. "Rhea, where's the love? You only serve dinner to the Major?"

"_Please,_ Wang. Your mood for food changes with the tides. John is our guest, he gets special treatment and I don't wanna hear any more about it." She said in a mocking yet serious tone.

Casey stared at her; the only person who seriously called him _'John'_ was Julia. He wasn't sure how comfortable he felt with Rhea using it, but she didn't understand. He ignored the feeling and continued to watch Big Mike grunt and dribble as he chomped down and scratched lotto. Wang was a wise guy and wouldn't let it go.

"Oh, it's _John,_ now! What's going on Agent Jones…getting a little _cozy,_ with the hired help, are we?"

Casey put a rigid grip on his shoulder and startled him. "You just keep your mind on your work, Wang. If things happen to get _cozy _around here, that's _my _business!"

"_Oww, oww... oww!…okay, okay_…I don't think there's much more to see here, moving on!"

Rhea couldn't hide her smile; she was weary of Wang's constant asides and sarcastically unfunny jokes. She caught Casey's eye and mouthed, _'Thank you.'_ He nodded and turned back to the screen.

"Let's just stop here for a minute, people. I want to know how all this is done. How did you get all these shots into one stream?" Casey turned to whom he felt was the tech expert.

"Well, is Simon gonna _say?"_

Simon stretched his arms and rubbed his eyes. It was way past his bedtime. "First of all, as you can see, the satellites pick up distinctive vantage points, it's like having different people watching the scene at the same time."

"I get that much, go on."

"It takes four days to render a single fluid shot. We have exactly _one_ look at any _one _time. We can't go back ten minutes, we can't see if there is a second gunman so to speak."

Rhea cut in, trying to make it even simpler. _"Right, _we can't go to nineteen eighty to see teen Casey busting heads for lunch money."

Casey wagged his finger with a smirk. _"Correction, _I busted the heads of the jerks that _stole_ the lunch money…made a profit too, but good call, Jones."

"Always the hero, aren't you, Major?" Althea asked, warming up to him.

No, he wasn't. Anyone who would murder innocent Chuck Bartowski was a dirty fink. "When duty calls, I answer…and justice prevails." He mumbled, hoping they didn't catch the uncertainty in his voice. As he presumed, only Rhea caught on to it, but he expected she knew more about him than the others.

Simon tapped his watch impatient. "Spoken like a true hero. Can I go on, _please?_ Before I pass out on the console?"

"Yes, please do." Casey bowed.

"_Thanks. _Now, given enough lead-time… that is what we attempted to have by letting Rhea hunt you down… We can look _anywhere_ within the target area. It's the _when_, that's always constant. It's always four days and _uhh_…twelve hours ago, we'll say for sake of argument."

Simon made a trail with his hands. "It's always like a single trailing moment of _now_…but in the past."

Wang changed vantage points again, only this time; he went out of the Buy More, across the parking lot speedily, and closed up on 'Orange Orange.'

"Anyone want a frogurt?"

The watched Sarah through the store window and Simon's eyebrows rose up and down.

"Now she's a real dish!"

The 'Orange Orange' swarmed with kids from a school trip. Casey chuckled at the alarm in Sarah's face as she struggled to take the orders. Frozen yogurt spilled everywhere; M&M's and other fruit and nut toppings went flying. The machine squirted out of control and she raced around trying to sop up the mess.

"_Haha!_ I _knew_ she couldn't handle that highly complex piece of equipment! She comes into the Buy More all cool and composed, neat as a whistle! I just don't get it."

"Maybe she's a cartoon?" Simon winked at Wang and their vantage point shifted behind the counter. Underneath, on the top shelf was a box with a bunch of orange tank tops wrapped in plastic.

"Caught ya, little lady!" Simon laughed, very taken with Sarah's image.

The satellite flew back to the Buy More and Casey made them pause.

"Okay, I got the gist of this, but if you can't move backward or forward in time, how do you speed up like that?"

Althea answered his question. "It's not the image moving faster. It's the shifting point of view. Like Simon…_uhh_…_told you_, the passage of time remains constant but we can shift our POV within the data stream as fast as we want."

Rhea finished up the explanations. "So come the next four days…well…three and a half or so…we can solve this tragedy and literally see who did _what_…_when _and _where."_

She grasped his hand soberly and he couldn't ignore the wounded look on her face. "This is why we need you, John. You can tell us where to look, three days from the present could be too late, and all would be lost."

Casey gaped at the screen again. The stream panned slowly to the Nerd Herd. Chuck lounged absentmindedly over the desk, with his hand on his face. His mouth curled down and his eyes roved lazily around the store. Casey had often seen him in that position and wondered what he was thinking. Aside from being stuck in a dead end job, Chuck must have been thinking about Sarah and the fact that his dreams of a normal life were shattered. Casey wouldn't fail him again. He wouldn't fail any of them. Justice would prevail.


	10. Sensations

**Chapter 10: Sensations**

Casey spent the next two hours observing and learning all the technical aspects of the Tracker. He wanted to know how to use it himself if the need arose. It was past one in the morning when Wang, Althea and an exhausted Simon finally trudged to their bunkers. Rhea lingered after showing Casey his sleeping quarters, across from hers.

"So Jones, do these guys live here or what?"

"No, believe it or not, they have lives. They have to remain here for as long as this case takes. They work hard, and they know what they're doing."

"I can see that, I give them a lot of credit. It's not easy trying to play God." Casey muttered.

"What do you mean?" Rhea took Althea's chair and scooted beside him.

"You heard what Costa said, _it's like having the eyes of God_…and he's kind of right. Can you imagine all the dirty little secrets, lies and truths that can be uncovered with this thing? If it's in the _wrong _hands?"

"That remains to be seen." She said with sadness in her voice.

Casey noticed this reaction from her every time he mentioned Costa. Tomorrow he intended to wring more truths out of her, now that they had each other's confidence.

Rhea sighed and watched the map, Casey lingered the fifth satellite over Canada. She decided to leave him alone for now; this was his time for grief.

"Major…"

"What happened to, _'John?"_

"I get the feeling you didn't appreciate me calling you that, besides, I don't want to stir up any more snide remarks."

"Don't worry about it, it's just a name. If you call me John, then I guess I'll have to call you, _Rhea."_

She stood up taller with a smile. "I wouldn't mind that at all, Maj… _John._ Hey, don't stay up too late, there are funeral services tomorrow for…well, everyone. Are you going?"

Casey hadn't even thought of that, he hated funerals. If anything he would show up inconspicuous and stand in the background. Beckman would probably have her boys surveying the place for him.

"I'll show up, but I won't stay long. Maybe we'll get some new evidence."

"I can go with you, if you'd like. I want to."

Casey stared at her glassy-eyed. "Thanks, Rhea."

"Sure, goodnight, John."

As soon as she left, Casey turned his attention to the screen and zoomed all the way into Julia's house. He maneuvered the Tracker and found Julia in the kitchen, preparing lunch and sorting through bills. He studied every inch of her attractive form. Her light brown and silvered hair cascaded sloppily over one eye. She was dressed in her favorite loose flannels and bedroom slippers and she didn't have her make up on.

"Snowed in again, sweetheart?" Casey asked. "Looks like it."

Her outfit made no difference to him; she was beautiful and _alive_. He panned around the house, she was a stickler for neatness, but then again, so was he.

As he neared the stairs, he heard childlike singing from Charlotte's bedroom. He zipped his view up. Her door was ajar. She was setting up her teddy bears and dolls for their own 'lunch' and sang a song about rainbows. The dastardly lump clogged his throat again. He watched as she arranged her little plastic utensils and cups. She scurried over to her play kitchen and pretended to cook.

_"Now you all just have to wait and be patient. I'm making a special lunch, I'm making a pizza __and…and…chicken!" She held up the play drumstick and tossed it into the little frying pan. "I __love fried chicken…I know you love fried chicken, Cocoa! Don't get mad, Kelly, you'll get some too, I promise."_

Charlotte peeked at her toys again and ran over to her black, stuffed dog.

_"__Charlie! You can't take the napkin off your neck. It's good manners, daddy does it and mommy says you won't spill anything on your…fur."_

She hurriedly fixed the dog's bib and turned to go back to her 'cooking' when she paused. Her eyes widened and Casey felt as if she stared right at him.

_"__Hello? Daddy are you here?"_ Charlotte tip toed all around her room, but found no one. She peeked down the empty hall, then curled up on her bed and grabbed her bear Cocoa, squeezing him tight.

Casey leaned forward a little startled. "What's the matter, baby girl?" He whispered.

Charlotte ran to her window and looked outside. _"Hello? Is anyone there? Daddy? Mommy?"_

"I'm here." Casey said aloud, but Charlotte didn't respond.

Whatever sensation she had disappeared and she went back to her cooking, however, she kept looking over her shoulder, making sure no one watched her. Casey grew agitated.

"Those bastards better not be spying on _my_ family! Maybe they were, and that's why they were killed too." He reasoned aloud. It was pride to think that the Buy More explosion occurred because of him. It wouldn't be the first time someone wanted their revenge.

He moved the Tracker around the grounds of the house and into the surrounding wooded areas. They were empty. He tracked throughout the house again slowly, beyond the walls and into the foundation. He checked each crevice for bugs and hidden cameras but everything came up clean. Julia went upstairs to bring Charlotte down for lunch. She noticed her daughter's worried expression as she set up her plate with salad and a sandwich.

_"Is something wrong, sweetheart?"_

_"Mommy, I feel like someone is watching me."_

Julia finished serving Charlotte and she stiffened, knowing better than to disregard her daughter's comment. With the business John was in and the traumas she went through in her life from it, she wanted to take every precaution.

_"Well…__umm, would you like me to check out the house for you. I'll go look outside."_

Charlotte smiled at her and bounced in her chair. _"It's okay, I'm not scared, mommy. I almost thought daddy was here! But we're gonna go see him, right? It's a surprise! I can't wait!"_

Julia stood by the telephone, deciding whether or not to make a phone call. _"Neither can I, honey. He's on vacation starting Saturday, I hope he doesn't mind us coming."_

Casey tossed his hands up. "Why would I mind, Julia? You're my family!"

Julia reached for the receiver, and then dropped it. _"I shouldn't bother him, he might get all worried and that's the last thing he needs. We'll be seeing him real soon."_

Casey ran up to the giant monitor. He touched the screen and his fingers caressed her face.

"Don't you get _it?_ I want to worry about you! _I love you!_ I love you both!" He sobbed.

Casey thrust his body against the screen with his arms strewn out. He vainly tried to grasp her image and rested his cheek against hers. The heat and static generated from the monitor suctioned him and he had a wild notion that if he pushed hard enough, he could dive his way back into the past. All the images he viewed on the screen today were so real and true to life, he felt he could just touch them and they would somehow react. After a long minute, he pulled away, his body and face flushed with electronic warmth.

He sank to his knees and stared at them pitifully. "I'm sorry. I should have been there for you."

Julia closed her eyes softly and then she opened them with a slow passion, keeping her focus on the table. Her breathing intensified.

_"Mommy, what's wrong? Are you sick?_

Julia's lips parted and her forehead wrinkled with confusion. She raised her large blue eyes and glanced directly at Casey, touching her cheek. The gaze lasted only a few seconds, but it was enough to shake him to the core. They had made contact.

Julia shook it off and smiled warmly at her daughter._ "No, I'm alright. I'm not sick, it's just…well…We really do love __him, don't we?"  
_

_"I __love, love, love daddy!"_

Casey gasped, and covered his mouth. He backed into the console, and quickly pulled the Tracker out of orbit. He moved away from the equipment and folded his arms, looking around sharply at all its flashing bulbs and electronic impulses collecting and sorting data. His mind swirled with ideas that only happened in the Twilight Zone.

"There is something very strange about this damn thing and I'm gonna find out what it is." He vowed.

Casey yawned loudly. He couldn't ignore exhaustion anymore. He stumbled down the corridors to his room. He was too tired to do anything else and collapsed on the cot, falling into an exhaustive, dreamless sleep.


	11. Rhea's disclosure

**Chapter 11: Rhea's disclosure**

Casey was crouched down and feeling along the interior of Rhea's mini-van when she came outside the complex at six-thirty in the morning. She was dressed in a sleek black pantsuit with a white silk blouse and high-heeled black boots. She seemed the epitome of New York City class. Casey was still in his grungy T-shirt and jeans and he needed a shave. He stood up and craned and flexed his neck and muscles. He had gotten much too used to the king-size Serta at his apartment.

"Glad we had the same idea about getting up at the crack of dawn, I have to get into my apartment for a decent shower and a black suit."

"That's right, the services start around 9:30…I don't know if you want to be there for all the pomp and circumstance, but…"

"No. But we'll find them. I…I called Chuck's house. Ellie and Devon are having a separate, private burial and Morgan's family is having his ashes buried in the same plot. Friends to the end, I guess."

"And Agent Walker?"

"Her remains were cremated and flown back to Washington for a hero's funeral. Agent Bryce Larkin is shouldering that responsibility, he left a coded message on my cell."

Rhea wanted to press about his family, but she kept silent. She suddenly realized that he had gotten into the car without using her keys.

"What are doing? How did you get in there?"

"I got ways. I did a bug check, it's all clear. You and I need to have a little talk…if not now, then on the ride home." He opened the drivers side. "After you, Agent Jones."

Rhea climbed in and Casey went in the passenger side. He glanced up at the sky. He half expected rain under the circumstances, but the sun shone bright as ever. He lay back and closed his eyes numbly.

"Wake me up when we get to my place."

**-Oo-**

The small, but emotional funerals passed by like a blur. The usually tranquil cemetery was filled with wailing relatives and friends of all the victims. Casey and Rhea stood solemn in the distance as the Bartowski and Grimes family wept together. Casey remembered the day of Bryce Larkin's 'funeral' and how he watched Chuck by the gravesite. Beckman warned him from the very beginning of his assignment to kill Chuck, once the Intersect was securely in Washington. Even then, the thought of wantonly murdering Chuck sparked a change in him. Beckman's officials did not approach Casey, and Rhea wondered if they even cared to show up. Chuck was nothing more than a tool to house their precious Government secrets and expendable once he outlived his usefulness. With the Intersect gone, the Government dug itself into a massive grave, and it seemed there was no way out.

"My assignment with the Intersect…_resurrected _my humanity." Casey whispered to the trees, listening to the pastor talk about resurrection and life. "Before this, I completely lost it."

Casey's eyes and nose turned bright pink and he struggled to keep his tears in check. Rhea glanced at him. Casey had the look of an abandoned puppy. This scene was not unfamiliar to her as she recalled her own tragedies. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Casey didn't speak, but returned the gesture and then put his hands in his pockets.

Rhea felt a tingle of fear crawl down her back and she looked around. Everyone was involved in their own ceremonies and hundreds of saddened onlookers packed outside the cemetery gates to pay their respects. Her gaze swept across the lush green lawns and rows of headstones and crumbling statues. She panned her view down the winding, paved road. A stream of hearses snaked the path. The drivers leaned on their cars, quietly chatting amongst themselves, but there was one who kept silent.

It was difficult to make him out in the distance, but when her eyes caught his, her arms prickled with gooseflesh. He had a lopsided smile on his serene face–not out of sorrow–but perverse delight. His head bobbed up and down slowly while he observed the mourners, as if he contemplated the fruits of his labors. Rhea turned to Casey, but he had walked away. She quickly looked to Chuck's gravesite. Casey had his head lowered and his arms behind his back, talking to Ellie and Devon and offering whatever comfort he knew how to give. Rhea glanced at the pallbearers again, but the one watching her was long gone. She wiped her eyes and left the area. As she made her way to her vehicle, Casey caught up. He put his hand on her elbow and drew her close.

"Don't make yourself a target. I saw him, Rhea. About six foot one, thin and muscular, crew-cut black hair and bright eyes…he stood out like a sore thumb."

Rhea gazed at him in wonder; Major John Casey never missed a beat.

**-Oo-**

The drive back to the Headquarters continued in a silence that chafed Casey's nerves. After getting into the Mojave territory, the traffic eased up and Rhea picked up speed. Casey's impatience exploded and he slammed the dashboard. Rhea gasped and swerved violently to the left. The mini-van took a spin and Casey grabbed the steering wheel, driving her off the main road and into a sand hill. She glared at him livid and put the car in reverse.

"What the hell did you do that for? Are you trying to kill us too?"

_"Stop the car"_

"But…"

"I said _stop the car!"_

Rhea followed his commands and the mini-van lurched to a sharp halt. She bounced back in her seat. Casey finally let go and strummed his fingers, his jaw clenched red with anger.

"I want to know about Agent Costa and why you're so suspicious of him. Something isn't _Kosher_ with that Tracking system, I _know it_…I can _feel it_…but I want you tell me!"

Rhea pulled at her hair and sank lower in the seat, she was just as furious as he was, but less apt to explode in a swinging rage. "Alright, Major…you want to know my little back-story, I'll tell you_._ I'll tell you everything and then _you_ figure it out!"

"Good! I'm all ears!"

She unbuckled her seat belt and pushed her chair out, she faced him cross-legged. "In nineteen ninety-six I became a personal secretary for Special Agent Costa. He was the head of a Government Telecommunications company that worked out of the World Trade Center. While there I met my future husband, Christopher Jones. He was one of Costa's head technicians, specializing in satellite development. It was love, it was bliss, and we were married in ninety eight with all the hearts and flowers you could imagine."

Rhea delicately toyed with her ring finger, which Casey realized was bare.

"Chris was a wonderful man, quiet, mild, a real genius…not to mention tall, dark, handsome and extremely well built for someone tethered to a computer all day. For a long time I was the envy among the other gals while we were dating. I got the feeling that Costa was jealous of Chris too. He never made full on advances for me, but it was always in the air that he wanted more out of the _personal_ aspect of my job description. He was also irritated with all the time and attention Chris devoted to me. Something was going down and he always had him working long hours."

Casey moved closer with interest and laid his seat flat, scooting his legs up in a cross-legged position like her.

"Keep going, this is getting juicy."

Rhea grimaced at him, but continued. "Around two-thousand, things got a little awkward at home. Chris put in massive amounts of overtime, growing more stressed and guarded about his work assignments. Costa literally had me calling around the world and making contact with officials in all levels of authority. I spent full days gathering names and addresses of science labs, doctors, physicists, you name it. It was grueling for both of us and I was even more aggravated. Chris promised we'd buy a house and we were planning to have children."

She glanced out the window sadly, and Casey snapped her back to attention.

"Don't stop, Rhea. I need to know more." He said with a kindness that was almost foreign to him.

Rhea's palms moistened and she rubbed them on her pants, her eyes brimmed over as she recalled the events.

"The big day came…September eleventh, two-thousand one. I remember Costa; he was _adamant _that I work from home that day. He claimed there would be too many distractions for the project he wanted me to do…it was a perfect set-up. Chris and I had a sweet loft in DUMBO, with an _ideal _view of the skyline."

Rhea threw back her head with a laugh laced with scorn and despair.

"Who comes to my door at eight forty in the morning, but _Agent Costa!_ He was carrying a box of useless research papers he just _had_ to deliver himself and go over with me personally."

Rhea's knuckles turned white and she balled her hands into fists, punching the leather seating. The memories tore her up, but whatever Casey's motives, she had to tell the truth. Her body shuddered with soft sobs. Casey reached out and gripped her arm to hold her secure.

"That _bastard!_ He sent Chris to the transmission tower to check a 'satellite malfunction.' Chris knew about the Tracker! He helped Costa design this damn satellite system and he…he never had a chance, John! Just like your family, your friends…Chuck…_he never had a chance!"_

Rhea lurched forward and she grasped him, crying on his chest. She tightened her arms around his waist, nearly clawing at his back. Casey rocked her.

"It's okay, Rhea. Please keep going."

"Costa played the big shot, he played the hero, comforting me, paying for all the funeral expenses, letting me continue working for…damn him! _Damn him! He killed Chris! He killed them all! I know it!" _She shouted, and dropped her head back onto his shoulder, gasping.

Casey rubbed his chin in her hair, the sweet aroma played on his senses. He swallowed his intense anger, keeping his tone controlled. It was his turn to finish the story and he did so with severity and a peculiar gentleness that helped to calm her fragile nerves.

"Costa knew…He knew what was going to happen that day just like a lot of other Feds. I did, but there was nothing you could in time. The secret your husband kept was the Tracker's unique functions. All those calls you made…you don't whip up a trillion dollars _overnight._ Costa needed funding, resources, and permissions from persons of interest with financial and political clout. He needed the cooperation of whole tiny nations that had a lot to lose and everything to gain from this thing. It would have taken over ten years to get this business off the ground."

The truth became clearer and he continued to spout off his theories. "Costa didn't want you to die and he needed you as back up. He couldn't be sure what Chris may have shared with you about the Tracker. He gave you Agent status."

Casey gently pushed her away and gripped her shoulders. "Let me guess, he let _you_ pick the first project?"

Rhea tilted her head, her expression a mixture of despair and confusion. "Yes…the Buy More explosion…_oh my God_…John!"

Casey pounded his fists on the dashboard, his fury mounting.

"Did you really think that Costa could let Chuck _live? _It was only a matter of time before the Intersect picked up his secrets. He couldn't have any obstacles standing in his way."

"But _he _didn't kill Chuck."

"Of course not!" Casey grunted. "A man like that would never get literal blood on his manicured hands. The bomber is still out there, and I bet you if we trace the pallbearer at the funeral, we'll discover it's him. Costa doesn't care about this guy, he'll be happy when he's caught. The explosion at the Buy More didn't mean anything, that was just a cover for the 'real' murder…Chuck's!"

Rhea grabbed her steering wheel disillusioned. There was still a very big part of the puzzle Casey hadn't figured out. It was something she was sure even Costa knew nothing about. She made a silent pact with Simon, Wang and Althea when they discovered it a few years ago. Rhea recalled how Chris used to bore her with his wild theories, not realizing that there was an element of truth in them, and his life's work. She started the mini-van and backed out onto the road, her tears had dried up and her eyes blazed with revenge.

"Then let's go _back,_ Casey, let's go back and catch this killer before…" Rhea stopped herself.

"Before _what?"_

_"_Never mind…before Costa kills again. But remember this…Agent Costa went down days ago." She whispered. "He just doesn't know it yet._"_


	12. Red light

**Chapter 12: Red light**

When Casey and Rhea returned to Headquarters, Simon, Wang and Althea were at their posts keeping watch on Chuck's house. It was Thursday after midnight on the feed and Chuck was awake, only he lay in bed staring dazed at the ceiling. Simon greeted them with cups of coffee.

"The big cheese is gone for the next few days, Rhea. He had more of those conferences to attend up in Washington…so he _says._ Anyway, we've been watching this guy Chuck for a while now and seriously, I thought _I _was a nerd with no life!"

Casey unbuttoned his suit jacket and tossed it over the chair. He rolled up his shirtsleeves.

"That's an understatement, Simon. You'd be surprised with what Agent Walker and I put him through. It just happened to be slow last week."

"Everything's _too_ slow." Althea said, tossing the remains of her lunch in the trash.

"I came in earlier and had to drag these two out of Agent Walker's apartment, we have priorities with this satellite…and I thought _decency!"_ She scolded Wang and Simon.

"What? They were copping a peep at Agent Walker, _huh?"_ Casey asked, not surprised. "Figures. Who wouldn't?"

_"MAJOR!_ That's so humiliating!"

"Oh come on, Althea! We were bored!"

"Oh yeah, just think of that next time _you're_ in the shower, Wang, I wonder who could be watching you!"

"Unless they want to boil their eyeballs, I don't think they'd be watching Wang." Simon interrupted and Wang pounded the table.

"I resent that! I'm _not_…"

Casey heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes, he took his seat as the three stooges bantered back and forth about privacy issues. Rhea excused herself to wash her face and the remnants of her tears. Casey stared after her, she was a great woman and he wondered about their future after the case was solved. Two widows with attitude. He felt the attraction stir every time he stared into her dark eyes. He was nearly compelled to kiss her in the car, but his good sense stopped him. Casey decided to let the romantic notions fly for now, they were brought together purely for this mission and the pain of his loss was still very fresh.

He focused on the screen again. Chuck was fully clothed in his Buy More uniform. He twitched his mouth from side to side and twiddled his thumbs. The nerd's thoughts were always in another place, somewhere peaceful where he didn't have the fate of the world stored in his brain and Sarah on his arm. Casey's heart pounded, Rhea's last few words on the drive back haunted him.

_"__Agent Costa went down days ago…He just doesn't know it yet."_

Casey stared at the trio, they still argued and checked over statistics. If he were going to make a move, it would have to be now. He pulled a penlight from his pocket and pointed the red beam around Chuck's bedroom. The dot bounced off the screen, but didn't have any affect.

_"No!_ It _has_ to work, this thing is more than just a satellite. _I know it!"_ Casey pointed it again.

He eventually focused the dot on Chuck's lampshade, shaking it up and down and flickering it like crazy. Suddenly, it happened. Chuck's gaze rolled to the right and Casey jumped up, knocking over his chair.

"Sunuva…!"

The light penetrated the monitor; Chuck scrambled from his bed. He grabbed his cell phone and ran to his window.

_"Who's there? Casey, you better not be messing with me! Who's been watching me? Come out you coward!"_

The lights in the Headquarters flickered a huge surge of electricity and the monitor zapped off, along with lights across half the State of California. Simon dropped his paperwork and ran to the console with the others.

"What the hell just happened?" He demanded.

"That's what I want to know, _dammit!"_ Casey bellowed through the darkness.

_"Alright!_ Chill…_chill,_ it's coming back on…okay, it's _back!"_ Althea made a quick check of the board, relieved there were no sizzling dials or buttons. "So is the rest of the state."

Rhea ran into the room. "We had a power surge, how did that…?" Her words trailed off when she saw Casey's outraged expression.

He stared them all down, watching each of them fidget, and Wang sweat. Casey whipped around to look at the monitor. Chuck was on his cell phone.

"_I…I don't know Casey, I thought I saw it on my ceiling…and then my computer, but I wasn't sure. Then I saw it on my lamp bouncing like the follow the red ball sing alongs! No I'm not kidding, do I sound like I'm kidding…I…Oh, there you are!"_

Chuck opened his blinds and Casey climbed in to inspect the room.

The John Casey inside Headquarters closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm his fragile nerves.

"Are you sure it's not Morgan playing with his toys? I already canvassed the courtyard… there's no one out there, Chuck." He said aloud, almost frightened.

The Casey on the monitor peeked out the window, then walked past Chuck's computer desk with folded arms and a wry grin.

"_Are you sure it's not Morgan playing with his toys_? _I already canvassed the courtyard, there's no one out there, Chuck."_

"_Well if they wanted to kill me, they would have done it, instead of fooling around like a third grader…you know, with the penlights on the chalkboard and stuff…ahh…never mind. It's just...__lately __I've been getting this strange feeling that I'm being watched, I don't know. It comes and goes."_

Casey stared blankly at the screen and his shoulders slumped. He flicked the pen light through his fingers absentmindedly and shook his head.

"Walker and I are on it, Chuck. I better get out of here before Ellie comes in and thinks I'm in here for fun."

The Casey on the monitor lifted the blinds and climbed out the window.

_"Walker and I are on it, Chuck._ _I better get out of here before Ellie comes and thinks I'm in here for fun…"_

Casey backed away from the screen, his face aglow with disbelief as he recited from newly formed memories.

"Give me a holler if there's anything, Chuck…I mean it! I'll check the surveillance cameras."

The Casey at the window wagged his finger. _"Give me a holler if there's anything, Chuck…I mean it!_ _I'll check the surveillance cameras."_

Casey remained stationary in the middle of the platform. He hung his head.

"I never found anything on the surveillance, no sights, no sounds, no jerks passing by on foot or car, so we dropped it. Turn if off for now."

"But we can't, it's a live feed." Wang protested.

"Then turn it _somewhere else!"_ Casey fumed.

Rhea sank into her chair and held her cheeks. The others couldn't look him in the eye and they fiddled around with dials and papers to the point of distraction. It was time to tell Major John Casey the complete truth.


	13. Dead or alive?

**Chapter 13: Dead or alive?**

Casey paced the length of the monitor with his arms crossed and eyes blazing.

"This thing is _not _a surveillance tool nor a plain satellite frequency…have you figured out a way to look into the past? _Yes or no?"_

Rhea stared at him. "No."

"You're lying. You said it, Jones, not me, _Costa went down days ago…he doesn't know it yet. _What is that supposed to mean if this isn't a time travel device? Better yet, forget all that. I _know_ it is, now, explain it to me!"

Rhea looked to Simon and the techie clasped his hands behind his head, and spoke fast.

_"Okay,_ five years ago we were attempting to use condensed bursts of energy to augment the sensitivity of optical telescopes and in the process we had a breakthrough. Given enough energy…we could warp the very fabric of space…is that good enough?" He mumbled, avoiding Casey's gaze.

To everyone's surprise Casey laughed, but it was an intense, humorless laughter that would only be followed by an outburst of anger. Rhea jumped to his side and held his arm, hoping to diffuse his temper. He stared down at her, shaking his head.

"Explain this to me like I'm Joe Schmo just seeing it all for the first time…because _I am! _I'm _not _Einstein's brother, okay?"

The others remained quiet. Simon grabbed a piece of paper from the console and commanded Casey's attention. He held the paper down.

"Space is flat like this piece of paper." He ran his hand across it on a diagonal. "To see something from a distance, light has always traveled the long way across the flat space in between."

Casey grunted with understanding and Simon folded the paper on the diagonal as if making a paper airplane. _"But_…we can fold the space, bringing the target close to us and hanging via a gravitational field. It creates a bridge."

Casey shrugged. "We're not talking about the Brooklyn Bridge here…what is it? Where is this bridge?"

Althea joined the discussion. "It's an immediate link between two points, Major. It takes enormous amounts of energy to create these images. It's an _invisible _bridge to the human eye, but very real. The past is on the _other side_ of that bridge."

"And how did you harness enough energy?" Casey's curiosity exploded.

Simon stroked his beard and Rhea twirled her feet like a little girl, keeping her gaze on her shoes.

"Remember that _little_ black-out in 2003?" She stammered.

"Get out of here! You suctioned two days of energy out of half the North East to juice this thing?"

_"Yeah_…it was a pain…but it got us off the ground, it was easy to fault Con-Ed."

Simon saw the gears spinning in Casey's mind. He wasn't about to play 'Back to the future.'

"Look Major, we created this entirely by _accident_ and everyone's afraid of messing with it in case we lose the feed or suffer the consequences of God knows what…we can only use it as a retroactive viewing tool!"

"John, we're _always _looking into the past…light reflected in a mirror takes time to get back to us to create our image." Rhea added.

Simon ran behind the console after his courageous discourse and slid into his chair. Rhea held her ground, hoping that Casey would accept their explanations. Casey gazed back at the monitor. Chuck left the room earlier to shower and change and returned in a t-shirt and pajama pants. He was still disturbed over the red light, and peeked out the window a final time before jumping into bed. Chuck was about to shut his lamp, but then decided to dim it. He looked like a boy afraid of the dark and snuggled deep under his blanket, bringing it close up to his nose. His eyes darted left to right.

"_So much for fearless Agent Carmichael! Forget it…if Casey says it's safe, then it's safe. He's a jerk, but I trust him with my life."_ Chuck consoled himself, then closed his eyes and drifted into a troubled sleep.

Casey studied the image sadly. Major Jerk Casey. That's exactly what he was. He reflected on seeing Julia and Charlotte the other night. Deep in his gut he knew that they sensed his presence. It even changed their conversation over lunch. Without taking his eyes from the monitor he questioned the others coolly.

"Is Chuck _alive_ or is he _dead?"_

Rhea smiled wanly. "We went to the funerals, John."

Casey whirled around. "I know that, but the question is still relevant. Is Chuck, and everyone else we've been watching, _alive, _or are they _dead?"_

Simon tried to reason. "Major, you're asking us to give you the answers to existential questions that science can't…"

Casey marched past Rhea and picked up a small chair next to the console. Wang rolled away in his chair and held up his hands in surrender.

"Time for fireworks." He whispered to Althea.

Casey turned and smashed the chair against a small VDT to the left of the giant monitor. It sizzled and turned black. He threw the chair across the room, not caring where it landed. Rhea shrank back into the console, but his destructive fit seemed to be over.

"John! Stop it!"

_"Okay!_ Now the monitor is _broken!_ The monitor is _dead!_ It has not departed into some existential plane of afterlife; it hasn't fluttered away into the clouds! It's _dead! _The Buy More exploded, people were ripped apart, crushed, burned…ashes to ashes, dust to dust_…_they're _dead!"_

Casey roughly tapped the giant screen. "But…on _this_ thing here, _behind_ this bridge, is Chuck _alive_, or is he _dead?"_

Rhea tearfully bit her lip. "He's _alive!"_

Casey rushed back to her side; he lifted her and twirled her around. "I could kiss you, Rhea! Now_,_ we're getting somewhere!" He put her down and strutted around the room, gesturing at the three scientists behind the console.

"You mentioned that light can go back, what else? Can you send a body? A human?"

"No, not alive." Simon shook his head sternly.

"Why not?"

"Major, you can't beat physics! You can't transfer an ion impulse… that's your heartbeat, brain waves and all that…a human would die. We tested it over and over with rats, hamsters…a dog."

Althea gasped at him. "You tested a _dog! _How could you?"

"Althea! We had to make sure, we needed something with more body mass, it was a stray…"

"Will you _quit it?_ Forget the damn dog, it's always about the dog. There's mass human destruction and annihilation on a global scale and we worry about Frou Frou and Rex!" Casey growled. "What about a radio signal?"

"No good, the feed will scramble it, it's too weak." Wang said.

"Okay…a _note!_ A warning!"

Rhea popped her head up, but kept silent. Casey suggested what she was intent on doing, for both her past self and the past 'Major John Casey.' She wrote detailed letters explaining everything that happened and implicated Costa in the entire conspiracy. Rhea decided to wait on sending it through the transporter. She knew she would add more important details as the case progressed. They were to be in the mail no later than Saturday morning, from the 'DOTS' or_' Department of Terrorism Surveillance.' _It was an acronym she made up to sound official, even though she googled and came up with woman's funky clothing store. Regardless, Casey didn't understand the consequences of what he asked, and she adamantly refused.

"No, John. We _can't!"_ She glanced sharply at the others when they were about to reconsider.

Casey tossed his hands up. "Dammit! Then send it to me! We can find out exactly where this killer is gonna be, what he's gonna do…why not?"

Rhea stormed up to him. "It's _too_ risky, John! It could change a lot! Althea, you're the theorist, explain it to the Major."

Althea grabbed another sheet of paper and marker and drew a line with two arrowheads on either side, labeling one side 'Past' the other 'Future.'

"Time is linear…like a river." She drew a large 'X' in the center of the line. "You introduce a significant event at any point in this river and you create a new branch…" She drew another line, darting out from the 'X' on the straight one. "It's still flowing towards the future…but along a _different_ route."

Simon wrung his hands, very on edge. "Major, it's like throwing a pebble into the Nile…it will barely cause a ripple."

For the first time in a long while, Casey felt hopelessly optimistic, he couldn't let the idea go. There had to be a way to save them all.

"I understand this, but suppose we can make a _new _branch_._ What happens to the old one?"

Everyone stared grimly at each other. Rhea gave him the unsettling answer.

"Then…we…we all _cease to exist."_


	14. Out of range

**Chapter 14: Out of range**

Everyone in the tracking room remained silent for a few minutes after Rhea's comment on the consequences of time travel. Casey was still not convinced he was told the entire truth, but he let the discussion lie. Time travel or not, they still had to solve this act of terrorism in the present. He clapped for everyone's attention.

"Alright, let's shift our focus for a while. We need to figure out _who_ exactly this killer is and where we can find him. I have a feeling that he somehow earned Chuck's trust. If we…"

The home phone in Chuck's bedroom rang and they all watched in anticipation. Chuck jumped, but hastily answered.

_"Bartowski residence…oh…how did you get this number? Oh right, yeah, my sister still has us listed…no; it's not a problem. You need it for Saturday night? Big night with the guys, right? You can come by how early? Ooh…uhh … okay… eight am is fine I guess… it's in near perfect working condition. I took good care of my X-Box. Guaranteed hours of fun!"_

It was apparent the person on the other end was conversational, and it put Chuck at ease as they chatted more about video games and consoles.

_"Gahh!_ I warned that nerd to stay off the Craigslist! _No_ Chuck…_do not_ give him your address!" Casey groaned.

Chuck gave the caller his information and promised to meet him outside the courtyard at eight am sharp.

"You gullible fool! Haven't you learned _anything?"_ Casey waved a fist at the monitor. He snapped quickly at Althea and Wang. "That's got to be our guy! Check the Tracker for a phone number and did you record the conversation for a voice analysis?"

"I did and we're on it!" Althea typed in the commands and the data systems went to work, thousands of phone numbers scanned down the monitors. Rhea eyed the maps and shook her head.

"No good! He's out of target range. Simon, can we get a goggle reading?"

"Yeah, we're gonna need it, the call is coming from a pay phone." Simon remarked.

"What's a goggle reading?" Casey asked.

Wang brought up the image of what resembled a cross between a black hardhat and an army helmet arrayed with electronic extensions and wires. A small screen was attached to the top like an eyepiece.

"That's our 'Goggle Helmet.' It extends the immediate range of sight and gathers data _outside_ the target area… that's Chuck's house. We have it in the hummer parked outside."

"He's still a little out of range, Major." Althea grumbled.

"How can he be out of range? I was able to see my family in Canada just last night!"

Simon shrugged regretful. "I'm sorry Major, but I had to power down the Satellites that weren't over the target area…we were using too much energy and as Rhea would say, it sent up too many red flags. We have what we need, the target area extends from Chuck's place to here at the base."

Casey leaned on the console with both hands and slammed the table. _"Alright,_ we got to do this the old fashioned way…get any type of video surveillance from the surrounding area."

Althea fiddled with the keyboard. "Yes sir, we can access all surveillance from any Government agency and…_there he is_…this is from the ATM cameras across the way."

Rhea stared close at the monitor. The man had his back turned to them and fumbled for more quarters. She came next to Casey.

"Hold the phone! I _know_ that place, it's a rest stop about a mile from the Air Force Base! What the heck is he doing there?"

"What do you think? He's Costa's partner in crime! This is good! Now we got the bastard!"

"It just gets better and better…hold up, he's making another phone call." Althea said.

"Pump up the volume, Althea…Simon, can we get a better shot of him? It's too dark." Casey insisted.

"It's scanning now, but no positive matches. We can't zoom in from these cameras, it has to come from our own equipment and he has to look _our_ way."

"Can we pick up the voice on the other side of the phone?" Casey demanded.

"No, _oh_ that was stupid of me! Althea, we didn't have the volume up when Chuck was talking to him!"

"I know that Wang, but it still recorded. It doesn't matter, it's more important to see this guy's face right now. We can't grab this audio, it still feeding from the ATM cameras."

"There's nobody with him, he's not talking. Switch to the monitor feed with this Goggle hat. _Come on!_ This is an investigation…four days ago…but…it's still an investigation!" Casey rumbled.

Rhea led him away from the desk and massaged his shoulders. Casey heaved his body into a relaxed state, feeling the tension in his muscles subside. Rhea had quite a touch. He grabbed her hand and stroked her fingers.

"This has to work, Rhea."

"And you have to forgive them, John. It's their first real case and they haven't used the satellite in this way yet. It's all coming together now, I promise.

"I'm not a very patient person."

"I figured that one out days ago, just remember we're all on the same side and we all want this guy caught…and _you're_ the man to do it." She added, boosting his confidence.

Casey forced a smile. "Thanks…there's no one else I would want to do it. This is all _my_ responsibility."

"I understand, but that doesn't mean you have to go it alone." She said gently.

His hand caresses soothed her and a warm feeling spread through her body. She reluctantly pulled her hand away.

"_Umm_…they have the feed now, John. We missed the call, but it looks like he's waiting for something. He's not in front of the store, looks more like he's off the side of the road…it's really too dark to tell."

"Then we wait _with_ him." Casey's gaze burned through her. She wet her lips and abruptly turned away, coming up behind Althea's chair.

"_Umm_…can we_…umm_…do a playback on the…_um_… phone call?" She faltered.

Althea gave her a sly smile. "Sure thing, Rhea, here it is."

**-O-**

"_Costa, It's done. The kid fell for it pretty quick. Saturday at eight am I'll nab him and bring him out."_

_"I told you never to call me here." _

" _Look, I'm in a bit of a jam. I need a truck, a van, anything. Mine just broke down. I'm at a rest stop and I can't carry these parts all the way home!" _

"_Why is that my problem?" _

"_Look Costa, this is your deal! I said…"_

_"I can't just send you a truck!"_

_"You get me what I want or else it's off!"_

_Don't threaten me, Lane! Remember, I'm always watching you…fine, 10 minutes! He'll take you where you want to go. Don't move from your spot!"_

"_How do you know where I am?"_

"_Never mind that! Just wait!"_

**-O- **

The team waited the ten minutes along with the antsy Lane Stevens on the monitor. Simon managed to dredge up his data through the voice analysis. There was not much going for him save he was a veteran from the first Gulf War but discharged for unruly and volatile behavior.

"Other than that, he's been off the radar…possibly committing petty crimes, but never been caught." Simon added, scanning his profile. "He doesn't look like a maniac. He's pretty serene, I'd say...it's always the quiet ones."

"The reports about his erratic behavior in the Gulf are enough to have me convinced, the guy's a psychopath…psychiatric care didn't help him." Casey mused. "Okay, look, there's the van…_woah_…wait! What the hell is he doing?"

Rhea ran to the monitor. "That's Tim! The guard from out front!"

They all watched helplessly as Lane pulled a gun from his backpack and shot four times at the van with a silencer. He immediately pulled the driver out and dragged him to the back of the van, and tossed him inside.

"Oh my God! No wonder Tim hasn't been at work, I thought he was sick." Rhea clasped her mouth and staggered into Casey. He grasped her shoulders and they continued to watch the feed alarmed.

"He's about to get away!"

Casey ran to the exit. "I'm getting in that hummer and putting on that Goggle… _hat!_ I'm gonna follow this guy wherever he goes! Give me clearance!"

"Wait! John, you don't know how to work it, Tim was the one who…"

"I can do it! Just wait for my call and keep my position locked, can you do that?"

"Yes! We can follow your course, hurry!"

Casey ran out of the building, ready to make a dramatic chase…four days in the past.


	15. Hideout

**Chapter 15: Hideout**

Casey leaped into the hummer and floored the gas pedal, speeding through the electronic gates. It was still broad daylight outside. The Goggle helmet lay on the drivers side, it's long mesh of wires connected to a hulking, black and red backpack. Casey fumbled for his cell phone and called Rhea.

"Rhea, I'm out, what should I do now? Can you hear me?"

_"Yes, John. Go West onto 14! On the right side of the helmet is the on/off switch. Do you see it?"_

"Yeah."

_"Flick that on and wear the helmet, you can hang up, it picks up audio."_

Casey grabbed the helmet and put it on his head. The small monitor blocked some of the vision from his left. He turned it on, and a wave of electricity and static appeared. The black screen zapped into the four-day-old image of the road.

"Oh crap!"

Casey clutched the steering wheel from the sudden flash and turned his eyes away from the road. He had forgotten that in _his _present, it was still the afternoon, but Lane drove on an empty highway after midnight. Casey spun the wheel all the way around and backed off the highway to avoid a slew of oncoming cars.

"This is _wild!"_ He hollered. He jumped lanes and sped up until he almost caught up to his target.

"I almost feel like I can hit him, I'm right on his tail!"

_"John, wherever you look, we'll see what you see. Leave the goggle helmet on! Don't let the CHiPs catch you!"_

Casey swerved in and out of traffic, and he saw Lane's car turn off an exit.

"Get outta here, I'm _NSA,_ Ponch and Jon have no authority over me! _Damn!_ I just lost him!"

_"He's turned off Golden Valley Road, Exit 5! Take it now!"_

Casey whipped the hummer down the curved thoroughfare. Lane's car unexpectedly halted and his van twirled on a 360 spin, the brakes squealed through Casey's ears. Casey braked as if they were going to crash into one another. Lane's face came into Casey's direct line of sight. His pale blue eyes blazed with murderous tension and his mouth frowned with a deep hatred through the rear view mirror. Casey couldn't remove his gaze from him, and they just stared at one another.

"My God…Rhea…I can _see him_, he's right in front of me…" Casey's voice wavered. "It's like he can see me. He senses something. I know it."

A loud horn blast broke the unnerving tension and a truck barreled into the front of the hummer. Casey's body lurched to the right, but the extra firm seat belt kept him in place. Casey grasped the helmet; it had fallen off on impact. He shook it a few times.

_"John! What happened! We lost the feed! Wait…we still have a map reading, are you there?" _Rhea nearly screamed into the microphone.

Simon and Wang scrambled to bring it back online.

_"I heard that crash, he probably wasn't paying attention…"_ Althea noted troubled.

Casey put it on his head and tapped the screen, the static cleared up, but he decided not to take any more chances wearing it. The flux between time zones was disorientating and deadly on the road. He rubbed his shoulder and a sharp pain radiated from his collarbone. There was no time to linger. He raised the helmet to the windshield.

"I'm alright, where did he go!"

_"We're on him, John! Double back, take a right…then on the next exit, make a left!" _Rhea commanded.

Casey smiled. "I _love _your driving skills, Jones!"

He drove steady until Rhea screeched.

_"Left, John! Left!"_

He turned off the exit and the road was empty, save for Lane's van.

"He's slowing down, guys!"

_"Stay on him…there's a property up ahead. Take a right down the next path."_

"I see it, there's a…electrical fence, this must be a hideout."

Casey stopped the hummer at the gate and climbed out. He craned his neck and rubbed his shoulder again.

_"John, bring the backpack, it's the power source for the helmet."_

Casey tucked his weapon at his side. He lifted the pack out of the hummer and strode to the gate, shielding his eyes from the glare of the harsh sun.

"What happened here? Half the place is bombed out."

_"It's all intact from our view, John."_

"There's an ambulance stuck in the wall, looks like someone literally crashed the party. It looks empty to me, I'm going in."

_"There's no ambulance, something must have…"_

Rhea tentatively watched Lane on the monitor; he parked a few feet from the cabin. She peered harder and gasped.

_"Be careful! John, he's taking Tim out of the van…and…he's still alive!"_

Rhea and the others watched in horror as Lane dragged the half conscious guard toward a long, dilapidated patio on the left side of the house.

_"John, he's by the patio with him…and…oh no! Oh God!"_ Tears sprang to Rhea's eyes and the rest of the team gasped. Althea covered her face with a sob.

Casey climbed over the debris. The air was heavy with soot and ash, and the odor of burnt timber.

"What's happening, Rhea! Tell me!"

_"John, he's right next to you! Oh damn him!"_

Casey glanced around, but the entire area was deserted. He stared at the planks on the ground; they were burned to a blackened crisp and a thick dusting of ashes lay in a pile. Casey knelt down and cautiously touched it. The ashes sifted and he felt sharp bone fragments. He groaned and lowered his head with fury and disgust. He quickly realized what the feed was picking up and turned the helmet away from the horrific scene.

"Rhea…are you there? I'm _sorry_…" He murmured.

Rhea's voice trembled. _"We're here John, … he just set Tim on fire and left him to burn! He's screaming! Lane went back into the house. I think you need to get back here. We have all the information we need to grab this killer for good."_

Casey dusted his pants and rose up slowly. Was he in the actual place? Did Lane bring Chuck here and kill him? It seemed very likely. With a heavy heart, Casey lumbered off the patio and decided to cut through the burnt out portion of the cabin. He inspected the ambulance and found blood smeared across the front seat and the front of the vehicle. In the center of the room he discovered a burned wooden chair, with charred ropes lying scattered about. Tossed in the corner was a large hedge trimmer, with more blood spattered all over the rusted shears.

"_Oh man_…that's gotta be what he used to remove Chuck's hand."

He kicked around the rubble and noticed something familiar jutting out. He crouched next to it and wiped the dust.

_"John, what do you see?"_

Casey lifted the plastic card up and held it to the shaft of sunlight. It was Chuck's Buy More ID.


	16. For justice, for revenge

**Chapter 16: For justice, for revenge**

When Casey returned to the Headquarters, Rhea all but hog-tied him to the infirmary to get his shoulder checked out. The damage wasn't as extensive as he feared. All the bones were intact, but if he wanted to play it safe, he had to keep it in a sling. He went back to his quarters to rest his shoulder and mull over his discoveries. He awoke more refreshed after a two-hour nap and washed up. Simon and the others tracked down Lane Stevens' present location and alerted the local authorities. The investigation was practically over, yet Casey felt as if it only just begun. There was a low knock on his door and he struggled to turn.

"Who is it?"

"It's Rhea…may I come in?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

Rhea walked inside with a tray of food and a bottle of water.

"Eat up, it's just a sub hero."

"You guys are gonna kill yourselves and _me_ with these sandwiches. I feel like Big Mike." Casey remarked, but polished off the quick meal within a few minutes. Rhea waited patiently, and then dug into her shoulder bag for a white tube.

"Take off your shirt and lay down on your stomach."

_"Ohh,_ Jones! I just ate, ya know?" Casey eyed her with a crooked smile and did as he was told.

He honestly didn't mind a back rub. He settled into a comfortable position, but it hurt to move his left arm. Rhea squeezed a few dollops of the ointment onto his shoulders and went to work, grinding deep into his upper back muscles and working her way down. Casey grunted and moaned as all the tension knots and pains dissipated under the hot lotion and her roaming fingers.

"You do have _great hands."_ He murmured into the pillow.

"Thanks, I did some work as a masseuse during summers off from school."

"Aren't you just a Jacqueline of all trades?"

"It's the best way to live, where's it hurt most?"

_"Uhh_…upper left, _yeah!_ That's it!" He cried out when she touched the sore spot.

"Just above the clavicle, more toward the Acromion and Bursa. I'm so glad you didn't break anything."

"Me too, because my work is _not _finished."

"After tonight it will be, John. You did it, we have all the evidence we need to make a case against Costa and Lane Stevens."

Rhea stopped and patted his back. She helped him turn over and spread more ointment on his collarbone and shoulder. Casey gazed up at her while she worked. She was intent on the task at hand, her lips pursed and her shapely brows knitted in concentration. He put his hand over hers and she gradually slowed down and knelt beside him.

"I said it's _not_ over…_you_ know it and _I_ know it. Costa will find a way to worm out of this. If anyone is going to take the heat it may be you. They'll trace your husband's ties to Costa and he'll play the ignorant card. And there's something else."

Rhea's heart beat rapidly, her fingers clenched over his broad chest. "I know._"_

"Regardless of whether they catch Lane or not, Costa won't let you out of this alive. The moment I leave for Washington he'll make sure to finish his dirty work. I'm afraid for you, Rhea."

Gazing into his solemn eyes, Rhea saw his concern was genuine. She tried to feebly laugh it off, but her mouth quivered and tears rolled down her cheeks. She laid her head softly in the crook of Casey's arm. She raised her almond eyes toward him and her expression of pure sadness touched his heart.

"Maybe…_maybe_…I deserve it. I've harbored his corrupt secrets for too long. I'm just as guilty as he is."

Casey tilted his head with a frown and squeezed her hand. _"No, _don't say that. You're one woman against a powerful and corrupt man with the world at his disposal. Listen to me Rhea; as soon as they nab Lane, I want you on the first flight to Washington with me. You're going to explain everything to everybody _except…_"

"The time travel. I understand that."

_"Good."_ Casey propped himself up on his elbows and Rhea assisted him again. She pulled at his blankets and shook her head.

"You know John, I wish…_I wish_ this damn satellite never existed. I feel like going in there with a hammer and just destroying everything." Her faced darkened and she made a motion to leave. "I'll have Simon turn the self-destruct mode on and it will all be over."

Casey grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him again. He studied her intensely and brushed his lips over hers. Rhea wrapped her arms around his neck and they fell into a warm kiss. Casey soon opened his eyes and their mouths parted for a moment. He nuzzled his face against hers, and ran his hand down her back. His throat closed with grief and his eyes watered.

She looked up at him. "John, what's wrong?"

"You _can't_…" He whispered. "You _won't_…not until you do something for me."

Rhea's heart dropped; she bit her lip, still tasting his kiss. "I want to help you."

Casey kissed her again. "You have to."

The telephone rang and startled them; it was Simon on the line.

_"Rhea!_ They caught Stevens! He was coming back to the hideout Casey found, and they grabbed him right on the spot. We need our snarky NSA brass to get to the station and drill him for the particulars. Is he up to it?"

Rhea stood motionlessly with the phone away from her ear. She took a deep breath and handed Casey a clean shirt from his suitcase. He clutched it and nodded with a new fire in his eyes.

_"Yeah_, Simon, he'll be right out." She hung up the phone and helped Casey put his shirt on.

Casey made sure he had his wallet, badge, and weapon. He made a quick check in the mirror and hustled to the door. Rhea ran up to him and stopped short of an embrace.

"When…when you come back, we'll be ready. We have to do it quick, I know Costa is somehow going to interfere."

Casey leaned on the door jamb and stroked her face. She nestled her cheek in his palm and his thumb moved across her lips.

"If this works, this nightmare will be over. And then we'll…"

Rhea gently removed his hand and led him out the door; she put the keys to her minivan in his hand.

_"We'll _have _never_ met. _Go_, Casey. Pick this guy's brain and come back here, because we have to work fast."

Casey grinned at her, but he felt a deep loss develop. "Thanks Rhea. You're quite a woman."

_"Yeah, yeah_…that's what they all say. Now get out there!"

Casey darted down the hallway and out of the complex, ready to come face to face with Chuck's killer. Rhea fell against the door with a stifled sob. There was no telling how this would play out, but she wanted to help Major John Casey as much as she could, for justice, for revenge…and love.


	17. You can't change it

**Chapter 17: You can't change it**

"The guy refuses to talk to anyone, he just sits there and examines the walls. He knows we're back here, so he just…_stares._ It's freaky. Maybe you can get him to talk."

Casey stroked his chin and observed Lane Stevens from behind the two-way mirror. The man was cloaked in grime. His clothing oil stained and dusty. His black hair stood up in crooked spikes and his blue eyes roved about the room, seemingly holding the secrets of the universe. Casey walked to the door, deciding that strong outbursts and threats were not the way to handle this man.

"Alright, I'll talk to him. I have a feeling he'll want to open up to me."

Casey entered the room and Lane barely acknowledged him. He pulled a metal chair across from him and took a seat. He put on his most menacing expression.

"We can beat around the bush for hours, or you can tell me what I want to know. First off, do you know who I am?" Casey demanded.

Lane sighed indifferently and gave him no answer. Casey pulled his badge and rapped it on the table.

"Major John Casey, NSA. If you don't know what that stands for its…"

_"National Security Agency._ I'm not a dumb yokel, Major. I was in the army, I served my country just as you do."

"That's commendable, but then, that's not what we're here to discuss. Do you know why I'm talking to you?"

Lane crossed his arms and gave him a knowing smile. "Yes, I was _warned _of your coming, Major."

"Warned, _huh?_ By _whom?"_

"That's not for me to say."

Casey bristled. "You better say something, otherwise _you_, and you _alone _will go down for the murders of over two hundred innocent people, including women and…_children."_ He nearly faltered, as his daughter's image passed before him.

Lane leaned forward with mock sympathy. _ "Oh, _I'm so sorry…all those _poor,_ _innocent_ people! Nobody is innocent, Major Casey. We're all born sinners and we make the demand to live according to our _own _standards. We choose to live by our own hedonistic and fleshly desires…then we cry and moan when everything goes wrong! We refuse to take responsibility for our degraded actions, and we teach our children to be the same! Don't talk to me about innocence. I'm _not,_ anymore than you are. Tell me, Major, how much blood do you have on your hands? The same hands that you used to tuck your little daughter in at night?"

Casey's eyes flared and he was tempted to lunge across the table, but he kept his calm.

"My record is of no consequence here."

"Isn't it?" Lane chortled. "How do you sleep at night, Major? You're a killer just like I am. But at least _I_ can admit it! I don't hide behind the _All mighty_ Government."

Casey tired of psychological games. He bounded from his chair and slammed the table.

"Why did you blow up the Buy More?"

Lane tossed his head back and laughed softly. "I didn't blow up anything, Major."

Casey tried to hide the shock that flitted across his face. "Then tell me what you did do? Either way, we have you pegged for two murders."

Lane scratched the back of his head and rubbed his neck. "It's getting hot in here, you think I can get some water?"

Casey wanted to strangle him, but he went to the door and tapped the window.

"Alright…now tell me."

"Sorry, my throat's a little parched, first things first."

Casey stood in the corner impatient. The guard finally returned with a pitcher of water and two glasses. Lane poured it out and sniffed the glass and water.

"What the heck are you doing that for?"

"I can't trust you people, you know how it is. Could be some kind of poison or truth serum or something."

Casey slid into his seat and poured himself a glass. He gulped it down. _"There!_ Are you happy? If it's poison, I'll die first! Now answer my question!"

Lane took a few sips and smiled_. "Ahh,_ that's refreshing. _Oh_…_okay_…I don't know why this is so difficult for you to comprehend, Major. I destroyed a threat to National Security. Just like any good soldier would do. I killed Chuck Bartowski and the seed of destruction that was planted in his brain. I was given an assignment and I carried it out. I was obeying orders."

_"Whose_ orders?"

"I can't say. That's…_top secret." _He laughed._  
_

Casey forced his chair back and paced the suddenly claustrophobic room.

"Why so tense, Major? Because I succeeded in doing something you couldn't? I know all about you, Major. You're just an overpaid assassin doing the NSA's dirty work. They don't care any more about Chuck than I do, or my superior. As soon as that new Intersect was up and running Chuck would have been history anyway…by _your_ hand. Am I right?"

"You don't know a thing about it!" Casey fumed.

Lane stared at Casey venomously. "Don't I? You should be thanking me. _I_ did it, and I did it practically for free! Now, nobody has the secrets, except my superior."

"If you didn't blow up the Buy More, than who did? Who put you up to killing Chuck?" Casey tried to wrangle the confession out of him, though he knew very well who was responsible.

"I'm not going to tell you. It's over, Major. He won_. _ _He who has the eyes like God. _You may succeed in stopping me, but you can't stop him. He knows all."

"Like hell he does!" Casey snarled. "I'm glad we had this little chat, Mr. Smith. God's eyes are watching the man with eyes _like_ his, but this man forgets that God has _no _equals and he will be _eliminated."_

"I didn't know you go to church, Major. That's a joke." Lane chuckled.

Casey walked banged on the door. The guard opened and they escorted Lane out of the room.

"Seriously, that was well put, Major. It's so funny how people only get religious when the things they hold precious are stripped away from them. Otherwise, they really couldn't care less about the man upstairs. That's sad. You can't stop what's already taken place, Major! History always repeats itself no matter what changes we make! You remember that!" Lane shouted, losing his passiveness. "You can't change it! _You can't change it!"_

Casey watched Lane kick and scream down the corridor to the jail cells. Something was very wrong. Did Rhea actually believe that Costa wouldn't know about the time travel discovery? He had to get back to her fast, before Costa returned. His nerves attacked and he chewed his inner cheeks. He glanced at his usually rigid hands, he couldn't stop the shaking.

"I _will_ change it. I will change everything."


	18. Can't forget

**Chapter 18: Can't forget**

The complex was empty when Casey returned from his interrogation with Lane Stevens. He flashed his badge and went into the Tracking room, only to find Wang, Simon, and Althea having big laughs over the antics on the monitor. Wang moved the tracker to the DVD aisle and Casey growled.

"_Dammit!_ I busted that skater punk on Friday for stealing! He's at it again?"

"Correction Major, this is Friday's feed." Althea said.

"And here comes trouble now!" Wang chuckled.

They watched as Casey stormed over to the aisle and aimed his price scanner like a gun.

* * *

"_Drop_ the inventory …and for God's sake pull up your pants! Prison chic does not suit you!"

The kid raised his skinny arms frightened and a bunch more DVDs fell from his over-sized bubble jacket. He panicked and attempted to make a mad dash for the exit. Casey lunged for him. He lifted him up and gripped the chain near the seat of his pants, carrying him to the sliding doors.

"_No, no, no_…please man! _I'm sorry!_"_  
_

"Thank you for shopping at Buy More, have a pleasant day!"

The kid let out a shout of alarm and went soaring into a row of shopping carts, landing face up with his legs askew over the edges. Chuck ran over and Casey stood by the entrance with a satisfied smile and noisily chewed gum.

"_Casey!_ How many times have I asked you not to injure the customers?"

"That small fry? He wasn't a customer; he was about to make a break with the whole manga section. I'm doing _my job_, Bartowski. I'm protecting the merchandise, no harm, no foul."

Chuck threw up his arms frustrated. "He could have broke his neck or back… or gotten a concussion!"

Casey blew a giant bubble and peeked outside, the kid stumbled through the parking lot, rubbing the green hair on the back of his head.

"_Ehh…_he's fine. Listen Chuck, he's gotten harder blows to the head with the dope he smokes."

Casey's gaze caught the appliance section and he patted Chuck's arm. "Gotta run! There's a gay divorcée roaming around and she's looking to score."

"_What?"_ Chuck eyed him incredulous.

"A _microwave_ you moron! Outta my way."

* * *

Casey winced as his past self scooted Chuck aside like he was a piece of garbage. It was easy to be cruel to the bighearted nerd, but he had to admit ever since he almost killed him, his conscience berated him. Casey looked around, but he didn't see Rhea.

"Where's Jones?" He asked worried.

Simon began clearing the table and packing boxes. "Rhea is on the phone with the Hi C! Looks like we can stick a fork in this mission, guys. The Buy More bomber has been caught and we can all pat ourselves on the back for a job well done."

_"Here, here! _I can't wait to get back to civilian life." Wang replied.

"I know. I miss my babies terribly." Althea started, but then clammed up when she remembered Casey's tragedy. Casey looked her way with a small smile.

"I'm sure they miss their mom too. That's where you _need_ to be, not holed up in here pushing buttons all day."

Althea finished packing her box sadly. "Thank you, Major. I'm _very_ sorry."

Casey nodded quietly and then shook his head with narrowed eyes. It _wasn't _over yet; Rhea promised she would help him. He excused himself and went to her quarters. She came out of her room sullen.

"I suppose you heard. I got the direct order from Costa and his backers; we shut down operations tonight, no excuses."

Casey heaved a sigh and drew her back into the room, closing the door. "Listen to me. We _can't _shut down. Costa knows all about the time travel. He somehow used it to manipulate Lane Stevens into doing his will."

Rhea looked up at him horrified. _"No, _John, please don't tell me this!"

"Think about it! Your husband helped _create_ this satellite, you don't think Costa may have stumbled upon its capabilities much earlier on?"

Rhea gazed up to control her tears. _"Oh jeesh_…he _did_, I know he did…but Chris was a good man, he never would have used it the way Costa wanted."

"And Costa knew that! That's why he had him practically on the roof when the planes hit the Twin towers…and Rhea, there's something else."

"What more can go wrong, John?"

"Lane didn't blow up the Buy More! He wouldn't tell me who did, but I have a feeling it was Costa himself! Lane was just a middle man. Maybe he planted the bomb. He certainly planted Chuck's body in the dumpster."

Rhea jumped up. "Why would he do that?"

"It's the way I said it before, he was trying to cover up Chuck's murder. He couldn't risk going into the Buy More and having Chuck flash on him. He plotted this whole inane scheme just to get rid of him. He needed something big enough to garner an investigation with the satellites, to make sure they worked. Costa might be shutting operations here, but you know the first chance he gets he's going to regroup and put those satellites back online and there's no stopping him then."

Casey practically shook her. "Rhea, there's no more time! You have to send me back four days. I have to stop these lunatics!"

Rhea sank her head into his chest, her voice barely audible. "John, it could _kill you_…humans have never been tested…_I_…I sent the letters!"

"What letters?"

She pulled away, hopeful. "Letters to us! The others monitored the transport and they went through because the mass was light. They explain _everything!_ That should be good enough!"

Casey stubbornly shook his head. _"No!_ I thought about it and it won't be. Four days ago I don't know you from Eve. But I know _me_, I'll check every resource to find out where these letters came from, get Beckman involved, and by the time it's all settled, the whole place blows!"

Casey felt panic rise in his gut. He enveloped Rhea in a tight hug. "I never beg for anything…but I'm begging you now. You have to send me to the past!"

Rhea pulled back with a loving glare in her eyes. "John…_damn you!_ I'll do it! But you have to leave the complex now. We all do! I can get us back in here after midnight. I can send you back no earlier than eight o' clock Saturday morning, but even that's _no_ guarantee."

Casey tried to calculate exactly when Chuck would be killed…it had to be sometime after nine for Lane to make it back to the Buy More with his body by 10:50pm. He had to accept whatever she told him.

"Fine! But we won't know unless we try. I'm counting on you, Rhea."

Rhea's fingers dug into his arms. "I know, and I said I would do this."

She released his arms and backed into the door. _"I…I_ don't want to forget you, John. I don't want to forget all this." She tearfully admitted.

Casey stiffened. Rhea revealed deep sentiments…because she knew their existence would end and that the time machine machine _would _work. He gently cupped her chin in his hand. She closed her eyes, her lips parted and her chest rose with anticipation.

Casey leaned down and kissed her deeply. The enveloped each other passionately and he desired to go further, but then backed away. A pain rose in his heart. He couldn't forget Julia, the woman he had vowed to love a lifetime ago. Before the tragedy he was slowly winning her back. He opened the door and stepped into the hallway. Rhea clutched her shirt and tenderly smiled. She sympathized with Casey's battle of emotions. She had to let him go.

"Don't forget, at _midnight. _I'll be waiting near that steel door marked 'No entry' in red. That's where we keep the transporter."

Casey gave her a winked. "I'll be there, thank you. And Rhea, remember, we can't forget…what _never happened_."


	19. Somebody up there

**Chapter 19: Somebody up there**

Casey didn't want to stray far from Headquarters while waiting for midnight. It was already late evening. He lingered in the town nearest the Air base, checking out the local attractions and then later scouring over maps in a greasy spoon. He intended to find the fastest route from Lane's hideout to the Buy More. Casey was a bundle of nerves and Rhea warned him it would be best not to eat beforehand. He chugged down the last of the insipid coffee, restless from fear. Major John Casey _never _showed fear.

He checked his cell phone; there were a slew of angry voice mails from General Beckman and he left them unanswered. As he deleted his voice mail history, he came across one from Thursday night that turned his blood cold.

"_Oh my God…_that's a call from Chuck! It wasn't there before!" He replayed it.

"_Casey! It's Chuck, pick up! I'm seeing red lights all over my room and I think someone is trying to kill me. Okay, I'm gonna page you now… bye!"_

Casey held his head and rubbed his temples. Chuck must have left the message when they had the power surge at the Headquarters and lost the monitor feed for a minute. Casey thought hard and then remembered he had felt his phone vibrate on the second call that night. He didn't bother to check the first message; he just went to Chuck's window.

"Amazing…_damn amazing!"_ He muttered in awe.

He glanced at his watch again; it was still only half past eight. He debated on renting out a motel room and taking another nap. He didn't want to wake up and have it be two in the morning. His intuition for danger gnawed at his bones. He kicked himself for leaving Rhea alone at the complex, but she insisted she had a lot of work and packing to finish up. He jumped in a car service and headed back to the base.

**-Oo-**

Whatever orders Costa gave had sent everyone running for the hills and the Headquarters sat in darkness. It was too early for Rhea to be at the 'No Entry' door, but his impulse told him to go to the Tracking room. The room illuminated with the soft glow of the monitor, and an image of the gorgeous planet earth. His gigantic shadow loomed across the floor.

"I wondered if you would show up early, John. I knew telling you midnight was a stretch. I already had Simon set up the computer systems for your transfer_._ It's good to go. He fought me tooth and nail, but he did it. Believe it or not, they're all gonna miss you."

Rhea faced him, and smiled through her tears. Locking the door behind him, Casey strode into the room. He grasped her and she collapsed onto his chest, choked with grief.

"I'm…_I'm so…so __scared,_ John. We are toying with something beyond our comprehension! If this fails…"

"Rhea, it _won't_ fail! Please trust me."

"I do trust _you,_ it's this machine! It's space, ions, and physics! _Anything_ can go wrong!" She wailed. "Think about it! Four days ago, you're sitting at home about to start your vacation, you get an urgent call from the hospital telling you to come to the morgue and you see _yourself_ lying on the table. Do you know what the consequences of that are?"

Casey shook her to her senses. "We have _to_ try! That didn't happen! I would remember it, wouldn't I? Like I remembered my conversation with Chuck! I have to stop Lane and Costa, even if it means _my life."_

Rhea held back from more displays of anguish. She ran to a box of office supplies and pulled out a black marker.

"Okay, Major. _Strip."_

Casey gave her a double take. "What?"

Rhea sighed and grinned slyly. "Oh alright! You can keep the boxers and undershirt. But shoes, socks, any jewelry, wallet…_off."_

**-Oo-**

Ten minutes later, Rhea led him to the 'No Entry' room and generated the time machine.

"There's no flies in this thing, right? I'm not gonna mutate or something?"

"Oh John, that's such science fiction." She laughed lightly.

Rhea opened the hatch of the time machine and readjusted the boundary bars as wide as possible.

"You're not quite as small as a piece of paper. Okay, whenever you're ready, climb aboard."

Casey climbed on the step stool and pulled himself into an upright sitting position. He barely had room to move inside the oval shaped structure. He drew his legs in tight against his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He struggled to curl his long feet.

"Try to duck your head down too. Think of it like an airplane crash, your departure from this might be a little bumpy."

"Gotchya. I feel like an Indian contortionist"

Before he lowered his head, Rhea stroked his legs. "Hey, you know, you're quite a man. A _real_ man, John."

"Well that I'm _completely _confident of. What gave me away, my devastatingly attractive smile and hairy chest?" He cracked a large grin.

Rhea play slapped his arm and winked_. "Yeah, _that too. _Oh…_and I can't forget about these long, muscle-bound legs."

"_Ha!"_

"John, do you believe in God?" She asked quietly, putting her hand over the handle of the door hatch.

Casey gazed at her serious and his eyes never wavered. "Rhea, I got this far, I _know_ somebody up there likes me. If anything, I believe life is what you make of it, we're not designated by fate."

"How do you figure?"

"If we were, I wouldn't be able to change a _damn_ thing. And I did just with a penlight. Think about it, we can always change our present life course for the better or worse, right? Well either way, I won't let destiny make _me_ a puppet."

"That's for sure, John. Well…this is it. It's been _interesting,_ to say the very least."

Casey attempted to shift his body into a more relaxed position. "Yes, it has been. And that _is_ the very least. It was much more than that. _Goodbye,_ Rhea."

Rhea started to close the hatch.

"_John…"_ She spoke hastily.

"Yes?"

"I just want you to know something. I've fallen in lo…"

Casey tranquilly raised his eyes one last time, but then his expression contorted into a shocked rage.

"No Costa, _don't!_"

"_Get away_ from my system!" Costa bellowed.

His gun went off and Rhea tottered forward. Blood seeped down her back and a searing pain engulfed her. She purposefully slammed her body against the hatch and the chamber locked. Casey banged fiercely on the small window.

"No! Rhea! Let me out!_ Rhea! No! I'm sorry!"_ He screamed and jostled the hatch.

She thrust her hand against the window. "John! Save them! _Save them!"_

Another shot fired just as she activated the release button and Rhea slumped to the floor. Hot tears spilled down Casey's face. There was no turning back or getting revenge in the present. He curved his body again as the time machine whirled to life. Costa rushed forward and shot at the hatch, but the bullets deflected off it. The illumination from inside the time machine almost blinded him as it poured through the air vents. Once again, the entire State of California blacked out. Casey went faint and his body vibrated uncontrollably. He felt as though his head would explode. It was finally happening, he was going into the past.


	20. Time for action

**Chapter 20: Time for action**

"Can you believe he actually said that? I thought I was going to _die!"_ A young nurse giggled and twirled the phone chord on her pinky. _"What?_ Oh yeah…he _totally_ digs me and…_oh my God!_ Tara, I have to go!"

The nurse slammed the phone down and ran out from behind the desk.

"I need a doctor! We have to get him to ER now!"

Two surgeons ran into hallway and grabbed the gurney from the frightened nurse. The tall man that lay on it convulsed into spasms, his face turned pallid and his eyelids fluttered.

"Where the hell did he come from?"

_"I don't know!_ I just turned around and he was laying there shaking like a leaf!"

When they wheeled him into the room, they tore open his shirt and saw cryptic big block letters on his chest.

**REVIVE ME.**

The doctors were stupefied, but there was no time to investigate. They used the defibrillator, but after three attempts, there was minimal response in his vitals.

"We have to begin CPR!"

**-Oo-**

Casey awoke gradually, the skin on his chest felt very hot and his head pounded, but he was _alive._ He had been placed in a hospital bed in the general patient area. He looked to his right and saw a man under sedation. Casey eyed his clothing and sneakers. He glanced at the wall. It was just a little past eight o'clock. The TV weatherman was about to begin his forecast.

"_It's going to be another scorcher this Saturday morning in…"_

His fully revived heart leaped. _"_Oh damn! She did it! Beautiful Rhea." He murmured with a wide smile, feeling dried tears caked around his eyes. She sacrificed her life to help him and he wouldn't fail this operation. Casey quickly unhooked the devices and forced himself up. It was time for action.

**-Oo-**

Just as he figured, the shirt was too snug, the pants too high, and the sneakers too tight, but he would have to make do. Casey grabbed a potted plant off the table and maneuvered his way out of the ER, pretending he was a visitor. He made a hasty exit to where the ambulances were parked. A security guard and driver were having lunch on a picnic bench. Casey stalked over and immediately pulled the gun from the guard's holster. They jumped up frightened.

"What _the hell!"_

"I'm a Federal Agent, _NSA,_ and I need your vehicle _now_! Give me the keys!" Casey wagged the gun at the driver and caught the keys he flung at him. He backed toward an ambulance.

"Don't _move!_ Keep your hands on those donuts where I can see them and stay put!"

Casey leaped inside. He yanked the distracting two-way transmitter out and floored the gas pedal, racing from the parking lot. Rhea sent him to a hospital closest to Lane's hideout, but he still had a drive ahead of him. He couldn't risk speeding and being pulled over, but he stayed at the absolute limit, if not a few miles over. He ground his teeth apprehensive.

"I'm gonna make it, Chuck! _I promise!"_


	21. Was it you?

**Chapter 21: Was it you?**

Chuck Bartowski was terrified he would die. Neither Casey nor Sarah had any idea where he was or the situation he had dumbly gotten into. His captor took his cell phone away and destroyed it. Chuck never saw his face. Promptly at eight am, he stood outside the courtyard with the X-Box in hand and a dusty pickup waited for him. The man inside concealed himself. Chuck barely had a chance to call for help when a dart hit him and he fell limp. When he finally awoke, he bounced in the backseat of the pickup with a ragged burlap sack tied over his head and his hands bound behind him. He had no idea where they were headed and could only hope that this person wanted him for a hostage. That would give time for Casey and Sarah to come.

_"What am I thinking? They don't even know I'm gone! Work! I'm supposed to be at work! __Someone is bound to question…oh schnibbits! I'm always late! Nobody's gonna care… wait! Ellie's steaks! I know she's gonna call to remind me and…grrr! My phone is mutilated!"_

The kidnapper was a lunatic. Wherever he took him was sweltering hot and dry, Chuck felt sand sift into his sneakers as he was roughly dragged from the vehicle. The kidnapper was strong and pitilessly quiet. His palms sweat and he reeked of body odor and motor oil.

_"The details! Remember the details! He doesn't want me to see him or hear him…but I can smell him. Oh my god! He probably knows about the Intersect! I'm finished!"_

Chuck was thrust up the steps forced inside a cabin. The captor pushed him into a hard wooden chair. Chuck went thrashed around in panic mode.

"Please! _Please!_ What do you want with me? Don't kill me! I don't have money! I work at the Buy More! I live from check to check…_Okay…okay!…okay!_…I'll give you the X-Box free! _Heh heh!_ And if you bring me home, all the games with it! I'll even give you my new one."

The man never answered him, and his cell phone went off. Leaving Chuck inside, he ran to the porch. Chuck strained to listen, but the voice was muffled and he recklessly paced in the front of the house. Chuck had to think fast. He maneuvered his wrists under the ropes. They weren't tightly wound because the man rushed when he did it. Chuck managed to get his right hand free. The screen door slammed and the man returned. His presence hung over Chuck like a grim reaper. Through the frayed threading of the sack, Chuck made out faint shadows and movement. The captor's arm raised and Chuck heard the ominous click that he was unfortunately now accustomed to.

"NO! _NO!"_

Chuck sprung forward, he tried to grab the captor's gun with his free hand, but he missed. His nails dug into his face, ripping skin off his cheek. The man let out a howl of pain and blood poured from the four scratches. The man bowled into Chuck, and forced him to the floor. He ran to the corner of the room and picked up a large container. Chuck attempted to crawl away and suddenly felt the back of his shirt splashed with a pungent liquid. He was being soaked in gasoline.

"_Aughhh! _Stop it!_ Please! Get away from me!" _He pleaded and curled into a fetal position.

The man finished and tossed the red container aside. He glared at Chuck's hand, dripping with _his_ blood and tissue under his fingernails. He grunted and rushed back to the corner. He pulled out a large hedge trimmer. The man grasped Chuck's arm and yanked it forward.

"_What_…_what _are you doing?" Chuck bawled, hearing him edge closer with the clippers.

"_Removing_ evidence." The killer rasped.

When Chuck felt the cold steel of the blades skim across his wrist he let out the loudest scream of his life. Without warning a horn blasted and sirens howled when a large ambulance plunged through the center of the house. Chuck threw himself on the floor and tumbled out of the way of the fallen beams and debris. He still couldn't see a thing, but heard a barrage of gunfire. Whoever attempted to rescue him may have been hit. Waves of intense heat suddenly encircled him and flames tried to lick at his body. His captor fled and left him to burn alive.

Chuck choked violently under the sack; he reached out for anyone that was still in the house.

"Please help me! _Oh God! _Get me out of here!"

Strong hands seized him under his arms and dragged him up.

"_Run!"_ His rescuer shouted and shoved him forward.

They raced to the doorway and hurtled over the porch and rolled in the weeds. The center of the house burst into more flames and collapsed. Chuck shouted and tried to escape, but his battered body betrayed him and he fell on the grass. The rescuer grabbed him and sat him up, removing his binds. Chuck lashed out and pounded on him.

"_No!_ Get off of me! Get away from me! _Stop!"_ He gasped.

The sack was torn from his head and he was stared into the bruised face of Major John Casey.

"Chuck! Chuck, _calm down,_ it's me! _It's Casey!_ You're out! I got you out!"

Chuck's chest heaved with a mixture of anger and intense relief.

"Who did this? Was it _you, __NSA ASSASSIN!_ Did you put someone up to this…or did you do it all yourself!" He spat at him. "You couldn't just shoot me in the head while I watched TV…you had to drag me out to the desert, try and slice off my hand…s_et me on fire!_ Oh! And shoot me on top of it! _huh!_ _Huh!"_

Chuck beat on him; Casey fell backwards and grabbed his right shoulder where Lane's bullet entered. Casey blocked Chuck's punches and rolled away. He slithered back and clutched Chuck's collar. He slapped him hard in the face. Chuck immediately dropped to his hands and knees. He pulled at the dirt and weeds and cried like a wounded little boy.

"Get a grip on yourself, Chuck! _Now!"_

"_Why?_ What I have done to deserve this? What have I done to you? _Why Casey?"_

Casey didn't let his anger get the better of him. He fell beside Chuck and put his arm across Chuck's shoulder and pulled him close.

"Chuck! _I didn't do this,_ I swear to you. I came in the ambulance_. _I came to rescue you and stop this! _Look at me!_ You scratched the killer's face! Is my face scratched? _Is it?"_

Chuck stared at him; knowing deep down Casey was not his abductor. It couldn't be Casey…he didn't operate in that way.

"I know who did this. They're going to blow up the Buy More at 11:00 and everyone is going to _die!_ Sarah! Julia and my baby…Morgan, _all of them!_ Please believe me!"

Chuck looked at the broken Agent in shock. He never thought that the man possessed tear ducts, but there they were. They streamed down his face and his mouth sagged. Casey doubled over from the throbbing in his shoulder and his deep anguish, he banged the ground and tried not to throw up.

"_Dammit _Chuck! I _don't _want you to die! I _don't _want to kill you! I care about you! I care about what happens to you and your family and friends! I'm not a monster! If you only knew what I've done for you…_if you only knew!" _He wailed.

Chuck regretted his outburst. He came alongside Casey and stood him up. He resisted the urge to give him a manly hug. He put Casey's arm over his shoulder to support him.

"You did save my life. Thank you, Casey! How did you know?"

The wounded men walked unsteadily away from the burning house and Casey kept a tight hand on his shoulder to control the bleeding. He noticed Lane's abandoned pickup truck parked alongside the front of the house.

"Chuck, we have to get back to Burbank…your apartment. I need to clean this shoulder fast and then we have to get to the Buy More and stop a man named Costa from planting his bomb. He must have come for Lane Stephens– he was your kidnapper. Get in that car over there…I'll hotwire it…_go!"_

"_Okay!_ I'll drive!"

"That goes without saying, Chuck…wait…_wait…"_

Casey scooted down and miraculously started the car within two minutes. Chuck helped him into the passenger seat and grasped the wheel. He drove as fast as he could. Casey sunk into the seat and winced. Chuck eyed him curiously.

"Casey…what was the bomber's name again?"

"Victor _Costa."_

Chuck's Intersect turned on and Casey grabbed the wheel to keep them from hitting oncoming traffic.

"_Agent Victor Costa, specializing in Top-Secret Government Communications. He has ties with the most powerful armed forces of the world, Iraq, Russia, North Korea, China, Japan…and a bunch of other countries I can't pronounce…he's experimented with clandestine satellite technology for twelve years and has seven stealth satellites presently orbiting the earth… WOAH! _This is the first time I think i ever just flashed on just a name!_" _

Chuck took a deep breath and glared at Casey. "He helped to orchestrate September 11th. Why has he downgraded to blowing up superstores?"

"It _wasn't_ about Buy More, Chuck. It was about you_._ He knew about the Intersect and he wanted to get rid of it. There was no need for it with his technology. He didn't want you stumbling on his secrets! But…it was also that _same_ satellite technology that brought me here."

Chuck looked at him inquisitively. "I don't understand, Casey."

Casey held Chuck's arm. "I'm about to tell you something that you might find hard to believe…_but_…just try to anyway. I'll find a way to prove it."

Chuck nodded slowly and kept his eyes on the road. "I'm openminded. Okay…_tell me."_

"I came here to rescue you from four days in the future, Chuck. Originally, you had been murdered and the Buy More blown up. I was home when it happened. I wanted answers and this organization found me – the same organization that controls the satellites. It's a long story, but they needed me to help them with the investigations using their technology. They were good people. I joined them and discovered what the secret behind it all was."

Chuck gulped loud. _"Time travel?"_

"_Exactly_. I was able to watch you and everyone else on the monitors through the streaming satellite feeds like it was _live_…but it really streamed from the past."

"But Casey, how did you know it was a time machine?" Chuck asked, extremely intrigued.

Casey managed a small laugh. "Remember that floating red dot around your room Thursday night?"

"_Yeah!_ I called you about it and you came over."

"Right. _That_ Casey came over…but _I _was the one who used the penlight. I penetrated the satellite feed from four days_ in the future."_

Chuck's mind swam with curiosity and doubts. However, if anyone knew Major John Casey, he wasn't one to make jokes, especially when it involved threats to the Government and his family. Chuck gave him a lopsided smile.

"Alright Casey, I guess I _have to_ believe you. The important thing now is stopping that explosion."

"Right, Chuck, stop them before _11:00_am" Casey closed his eyes and drifted into a pained sleep.


	22. connecting the DOTS

**Chapter 22: Connecting the DOTS**

As Chuck and Casey entered the courtyard, Chuck took the opportunity to make a mad dash to Casey's apartment. Casey's eyes widened and he chased him down. He nearly tackled him into the fountain and dragged him to his own doorstep.

"Are you crazy! What the heck are you doing, Bartowski?" He seethed. "We can't go in there!"

Chuck shrugged him off. "I just wanted to prove that…_oh…oh_…_I get it!_ You might see yourself then cause a cosmic reaction and blow up the universe." Chuck paced around. He scratched his curls and rambled his theories.

"But…that's _only_ if you hold to the faulty theory from the movie 'Timecop' that the _same matter cannot occupy the same space_…because then there would be some real problems and your past and future self would melt into each other and I would _not_ want to see that! Besides…you're not exactly the same _matter_ as Casey in the apartment now…days went by, blood was spilled…did you gain some weight? Because those clothes don't fit at all. They're totally not your style and…"

He turned noticed his blinds swaying. Casey already climbed into his room. Chuck scrambled after him. Casey sat hunched over on the edge of his bed, his wound still spilled blood through his fingers. Casey weakly raised a hand to him.

"Chuck, _stop talking_ and get me some gauze, peroxide, alcohol and four Excedrin! We can't waste time!"

Chuck ran to the door. "On it! It's all in the bathroom…_wait…wait…"_ They heard laughter drifting out from the kitchen and Chuck grabbed his mouth.

"_Oh damn!_ I forgot Ellie and Devon are home. They won't leave until about eleven!"

Casey spied the alarm clock; it was just near ten o'clock.

"_Chuck_, I'm gonna bleed to death! Do _something!_ Get them out of here."

Casey stumbled to Chuck's closet. He rummaged through it for Chuck's tool kit inside.

_"Hey!_ Watch the wardrobe! You're bleeding all over my duds."

_"Duds _are right!" Casey found what he was looking for, and pulled out needle nosed pliers.

"This'll have to do, I gotta get this bullet out of my body!"

"You might want to sterilize it."

Casey growled at him and Chuck ran out of the room. He opened the door again, and waved at Casey to make a break for the bathroom. Once Casey was safely inside, Chuck skipped to the kitchen with a big smile and whipped out his wallet.

"How are my two favorite…_newly…uh…engaged_…my two favorite people!"

Ellie kissed his cheek than shrank back and wrinkled her nose. "Hi Chuck! I didn't see you this morning? _Oh wow!_ You stink! You're covered in soot! Is that gasoline?"

Chuck felt his clothes and they were still damp. _"Uhh…yeah! _I _uhh_…ya know, that stupid Nerd Herd was giving me major problems, I was gonna pour in my own gas and whaddya know, I dropped the whole gallon on…_me!"_

Ellie observed him suspicious. "_Okay,_ then please change your clothes and don't go near anyone smoking or ovens!"

"_Hahaha_! I wouldn't anyway ya know…second hand smoke…my lungs…_ughh…hey! Hey!_ I was thinking, I know how hard you two work at the hospital. You never have time together. I want you to take this money and go have breakfast on me!"

Devon took the money from his hand and shrugged at Ellie. "Thanks, dude! Why not, babe? We got time."

Ellie put her hand on her hip and felt Chuck's forehead. "Chuck, are you okay? You feel like you're burning up! Let me go get the thermometer." Ellie started to the bathroom._  
_

Chuck looked alarmed and then did the first thing that came to mind.

"_My baby don't mess around cuz she loves me so and this I know for surrree…HeyyyyYaaaaa Heyyyyaaaaa!"_ He bellowed, covering over Casey's shouts of pain from the bathroom. He fell to the floor with crazy break dancing. _"Here we go! Uhhh! Uhhh! Shake it…shake it!…ohh oohh…shake it…shake it! Shake it like a Polaroid picture!…Get on the floor….you know what to dooo… you know what to dooo!"_

He laughed aloud, hearing the sink finally go off. He twirled Ellie and pulled on Devon's arm, shoving them to the front door.

"_Yaaa yaaa, yeah!_ Don't you love OutKast? I'm thinking of making this my wedding song! The fumes must be going to my head…but I'm wonderful! Now go with my blessing! _Get out!"_

Chuck opened the door and Ellie shook her head. "Okay, _okay! _Chuck, _don't _forget the steaks for dinner tonight!" She demanded as he shut the door in her face. "You can invite your friends!"

Ellie threw up her hands. "Devon, was he not acting completely strange to you?"

Devon put his arm around her and led her to their car. "Babe, I stopped asking that one a long time ago."

**-Oo-**

Chuck leaned on the door relieved. He glanced at the telephone and then at the bathroom.

"This better not be an elaborate hoax!" He ran to call Casey's house.

Casey didn't pick up his house phone and Chuck left a message. "Hi Casey, this is Chuck, _I uhhh…I umm…_ just wanted to say…have a happy vacation! Call me back…please…_please!"_

Casey marched from the bathroom. He regained some strength and glared at him.

"Who did you just call?"

Chuck put his hands up. _"I umm, _I called _you! _Casey, you're expecting me to believe something that's totally crazy! And _you_ didn't answer the phone!"

"_Oh_ I see, and having all the secrets of the United States Government _downloaded_ into your brain _isn't _crazy? Believe me Chuck, I came from the future!"

The phone rang and Chuck attempted to pick up. Casey grabbed his arm.

"_No…_let it go off. That's Morgan, he's calling to ask where you are, he's gonna babble about being desperate for your leadership skills, the assistant manager's position, working for Tang being a nightmare, and Lester exhausting him…and he's gonna remind you about those _damn steaks!_ God, I could go for one right now!"

Casey dropped his arm and rushed to the bedroom. He rifled through Chuck's dresser and grabbed a clean tee-shirt. He glanced at the console as an afterthought, and tore off a piece of notepaper. He grabbed a red pen and scribbled, 'SAVE THEM,' and left it taped to the top of the monitor. He ran back to the bathroom to finish bandaging the wound.

Chuck stood completely still waiting for Morgan's message to go off.

"_Chuck! Hey, it's me…where are you man? We're getting desperate over here! Can you please beg Big Mike to give you the assistant Manager's position? PUHLEEZE! We need you and your leadership skills, buddy. Working for Tang was a nightmare, working for Lester was a joke…and exhausting…bailing him out and all that…hellooooooo? Chuckie? Pick up! Oh yeah! That reminds me bro, Ellie wants you to pick up some steaks for dinner…hey, am I invited? I tried your cell but it must be dead or something… okay…guess you're really not home, I'll see ya when you come in…if you come in!"_

Chuck fell onto the couch and held his head. Casey's guess was right. He strode to the bathroom; Casey had a rough time getting the bandage to stick so he took over.

"What did I tell you, Chuck? Do you believe me yet?" Casey gritted his teeth as the bandage pressed against the bullet hole. "Get a needle and thick thread, you're gonna sew this shut!"

"But I'm not a doctor."

"I'll guide you! We don't have much time!"

Chuck worked as fast as he could, his sewing was haphazard, but it offered Casey some relief. Chuck had put extra gauze over it to keep blood from seeping out. He finished up and washed his hands, tossing the pliers in the sink. Casey bustled to the living room.

"I'm sorry about the mess, but time is _still _wasting."

"Don't worry about it, I just gotta make sure it's gone before Ellie gets home. She'll freak."

"I need to think! Where in the store would Costa put that bomb?" He paced the floor agitated.

"I know, Casey! What about the Nerd Herd? You said it was a major explosion…the Herd is right in the center, that would do the most damage wouldn't it?"

Casey nodded grimly. "Good thinking, Chuck, now let's get out of here! We'll take Lane's pickup."

"_Alright!_ Then we can…"

The phone rang again and Casey halted Chuck from answering.

"You want real proof? Just _listen!"_

Chuck's eyes grew wide as saucers as the caller left his message.

"_Listen, you nerd, there had better be a good reason why you're calling me while I'm sleeping in…hello? Chuck? Are you there? Forget it, you're probably at work already."_

Chuck felt like he wanted to faint. Now he absolutely believed Casey told the truth.

"Casey, that was _you_…but you're _here! _I think…I think I _need_…"

Casey pulled him to the door. "What you _need_ is to come with me to the Buy More! I can't leave you here; Lane and Costa may come back looking for you! The only place you'll be safe is with me! Now, come on!"

**-Oo-**

John Casey opened his front door to retrieve his mail; he looked past the courtyard and noticed a dirty pick up speed away from the front gate. He watched curiously as it raced up the street and turn sharply down the corner. He whipped his head toward Chuck's house and then remembered Chuck wasn't home.

"_Whatever_…bill, _bill_…_Bartowski's,_ I won a million bucks? _No! __Crap,_ I gotta subscribe to twenty magazines to get it, Heh!…mail from down the block…_DOTS?"_

Casey shuffled back inside and examined the plain white envelope. There was no stamp and it was handwritten in small, flowery script.

"_Hum_. No anthrax warnings, no powder, stains, no odor…well, except some sexy perfume…_hoorah._" He tore open the envelope and found a four-page letter inside.

"What the heck is the _Department of Terrorism Surveillance? _Oh right,_ Dots."_

Casey poured his coffee and sat down to read it.


	23. Ultimate revenge

**Chapter 23: Ultimate Revenge**

Chuck pulled into the Buy More at 10:30am. Casey had him park away from the front entrance to avoid distractions. Chuck stammered.

_"C…Ca…Casey…_is that my heart pounding so loud, or yours?"

"It's my _head_ and your _heart_, you never gave me the Excedrin. I don't see either of them."

Casey peered through the grimy windows and caught his breath. He suddenly noticed Julia, with their little Charlotte skipping by her side in matching yellow sun dresses. They happily made their way into 'Orange, Orange.' Casey grabbed Chuck.

"Chuck, listen to me carefully. I need you to go to Orange, Orange and keep Sarah, Julia and Charlotte in there at all costs!"

"Casey, Sarah is gonna know something is up, she'll smell the gasoline and everything."

"_Oh great_…Why didn't you change your…never mind! Okay, you can alert her about Costa, but her orders are to protect _you_ and _my family_…_err…_tell her that Beckman called_ me _on the spot, there was no time for a briefing. Bring them down to the hideout if you have to, just keep them safe!"

Chuck wrangled out of his grip. "But Casey, you're gonna need my help. You don't even know what kind of bomb it is, we're not even sure it's _in_ the Nerd Herd! You might want two pairs of eyes on it!"

"There's no time for that! Chuck, Lane and Costa are cold-blooded killers and they want you dead_._ If they so much as see a lock of your curly mop, you are a goner!"

Casey stumbled from the car, the pain radiated up and down his arm and slowed him down. He turned to Chuck with pure desperation in his brow.

_"Please Chuck_. I can't worry about what happens to me! I came back to save everyone else, don't make it difficult!"

Chuck came out of the car determined. _ "Alright, _go do what you have to do!"

Chuck ran to the frogurt shop and waved to him proudly. "Go get em,' Casey!"

As Chuck approached the entrance, he glanced at the Buy More and narrowed his eyes. There would be too much suspicion with Casey roaming around the store injured on his first day of vacation. If the bomb was in the Nerd Herd, Chuck felt it was more suitable if _he_ went behind there to scope it out. He could just imagine Lester and Jeff giving the big guy a hard time, or Big Mike badgering him to check on some incoming stock. Chuck groaned loud. He had to do what he promised first. He rushed into the shop with a huge smile for Casey's family and Sarah.

**-Oo-**

Casey strode through the entrance casually, trying to avoid eye contact with the employees. He realized how ridiculous he looked with Chuck's tight gray tee shirt and the comatose man's high water, pale Levis. His body ached from head to toe. The pains in his arm were so severe he wondered if he were having a stroke from all the pressure. It was the same shoulder that took a beating when the truck slammed the hummer. He thought of Rhea's exhilarating massage for a quick instant, and then felt saddened. She must have known Costa would kill her for the betrayal, but whatever fears she expressed, she never told Casey. She only felt that she deserved what punishment came to her.

Morgan gawked at Casey and headed in his direction. Casey tried to duck behind the DVDs, but Morgan spotted him.

"Hey John! _John!_ I thought you were on vacation, man. Neat outfit! What happened, left it too long in the dryer, _huh?_ That_ always _happens to me, but I don't mind, ya see, since I'm _short,_ everything I buy is usually too big_._ Hey, have you seen Chuck around? He was supposed to clock in about an hour ago already and BM is busting chops."

Casey grunted a 'no' and was about to stalk away when he realized Morgan could actually be useful. He pulled the little sales clerk back to him.

"Did you happen to see a man in here, mid-fifties, salt and pepper hair, Latino looking?"

Morgan scratched his head, trying to remember. _"Umm…uhh_…oh yeah! That dude was a little creepy; he wanted a laptop fixed or something, he put _mad rush_ on it, needed it by eleven. Lester just dumped it behind the desk, he's on his fifteen minute break. I wasn't gonna touch that thing, it's like six years old…ya see I have this morbid fear of old comps and…"

Casey's eyes widened and he patted Morgan's arm, cutting him off. "Thanks!" He was about to run to the Nerd Herd, then stopped, clicking his teeth with regret.

"Hey Grimes, when is _your_ next break?"

"About a half-hour, why?"

Casey dug into his pockets and tossed him a twenty–money he had found from the comatose man's wallet. "Take Anna _now_ and go buy yourselves some brunch or something. You _uh_…you need to get as far away from here as possible, you work too hard! Try that new Cinnabon _all_ the way down the other end, it's delicious!"

Morgan eyed the money delighted. "There's a new Cinnabon? Hey, man! _Thank you! _I'll go _right now_…_oh banana…"_

Casey heaved a sigh; two more down, however, there was no time or funds to play benefactor to the rest. He sprinted to the Nerd Herd and rummaged for the laptop. He found it shoved under the desk and checked the model; Morgan was right about the age.

"This _can't_ be the bomb…unless it's the _trigger!"_

**-Oo-**

"Chuck, I can't just stay down here while Casey goes to try and find a mad-bomber in the Buy More. You _know_ the drill. _You_ stay put and I go, it's _my_ job." Sarah whispered through gritted teeth.

Chuck had been cautious not to scare Julia and Charlotte with the bomb story. He used the same excuse he had with Ellie about the gasoline smell on his clothes. The pretty mother and daughter sat toward the rear of the shop, indulging in frogurt and looking at tourist brochures.

Chuck leaned over the counter with a tight smile. "Sarah, you _don't understand_. I have to help him. As much as I hate the vagueness of this particular phrase, I'm gonna say it…_It's complicated!_ Your orders are to keep those two safe for Casey; he's depending on that!"

Sarah glared at him. "Beckman's the only one who gives the orders. I have to make a judgment call on this." She threw down her rag and tried to get out from behind the counter.

Chuck danced around, attempting to block her. "Sarah! Please! _Alright…alright_…the truth is that…_that…"_

The bells to the entrance jingled, and a lone man walked in with a dark smile. Chuck turned around and had an instant flash…of his own demise and the Buy More's destruction. He gripped Sarah's arm.

"That's _him_, that's _Costa_…he wants to kill me, he planted the bomb!" He hissed.

Chuck rubbed his head from the imagery. Something wasn't right with this flash, the Intersect contained Government secrets, but it couldn't see the future. Sarah guided the man to a small table; he ordered a vanilla frogurt, but kept his dark eyes intensely on Chuck.

Sarah came back to the frogurt machine. "Just keep _calm,_ I will figure something out."

Chuck nervously strummed his fingers on the counter. The tension was unbearable. He leaped from the stool and shuffled to the exit.

"Well, I better get a move on, I have to…_to…"_

Costa stood up abruptly and pulled out a handgun. _"Nobody _goes anywhere! _You!_ Blondie, lock the door now!"

Chuck moved away from the entrance and Sarah came around to the door to do as she was told. She didn't want to make any sudden moves with Costa's weapon pointed at Casey's family. Costa laughed aloud.

"Isn't this wonderful? I _still _win! I have the Intersect _and_ the Casey familia at my disposal. He thought he was so smart, they all did, but I know my own Satellite! I know how to work it!"

Julia grabbed Charlotte and huddled with her in the chair, trying to soothe her crying. "Who are you? What do you want with us?"

Costa moved toward them menacingly, but Chuck jumped in front of him.

"Hey…_hey now!_ Leave them out of this! I'm the one you want!"

"Yes, that's _true, _but the stakes just went higher! You see, I have serious bones to pick with Major John Casey, and this will be the _ultimate_ revenge!"


	24. You were, Casey

**Chapter 24: You were, Casey**

Casey rushed from behind the Nerd Herd with the laptop under his good arm. He made a beeline for the exit when Big Mike called for him, stopping him in his tracks.

_"Yo, _John, come here for a minute, you're just the man I need! These numb skulls don't know how to handle the shipments right, I need you to meet the truck at the loading dock."

Casey looked at him crossly. "Sorry Big Mike, I'm on vacation remember? I was just leaving to meet my family!"

Big Mike ambled over, whispering. "_Look, _I'll clock you in for a _full day_ if you just do this one favor for me. I can't trust anyone else 'round here."

Casey was about to refuse again when a terrifying thought struck him. The bomb could have been left in the loading area. He suddenly remembered the prior history. Chuck's body was found in the dumpster by 10:50am, if the delivery trucks had come in around that time, the bomber could have been disguised as the driver and dumped the body without many people noticing. He wasn't going to put that past either Lane or Costa. Casey glanced at the store clock; it was a quarter to eleven. He nodded to Big Mike.

"I'll do it _right now."_

Big Mike slapped his back with a smile. "That's what I like to see, an industrious spirit! The Buy More needs more good men like you, John. Now I gotta go finish eating my breakfast, it's only another hour until lunch!"

Casey sighed and ran to the back room. He kept the laptop nearby where he could grab for it. He fumbled for the key to the large metal door and flung it open, the exertion tore at his wound. He glanced at it and saw blood oozing through the tee shirt.

_"Oh damn!_ This is killing me!"

Casey ran to the lockers and grabbed a discarded Buy More green shirt, throwing it over the gray one. The giant Buy More backed into the opening and the driver climbed out. Casey studied him with deep apprehension. Even with the cap drawn low over his brow, he recognized the vacant, eerie glow of Lane Stevens' blue eyes. The four scratches Chuck made were deeply embedded on his cheek. Lane approached nervous and the clipboard shook in his hands. He was extremely tense with dropping off his precious cargo and hunched over and scratched his head. When Lane handed Casey the clipboard, their eyes met and Lane gasped.

"No! It can't be you! I shot…_Arrhh!" _Lane looked like a deer in headlights when he discovered Costa's laptop on the work desk. He attempted to grab for it and Casey yanked him close, twisting his arm up and shoving him down.

"It's _over,_ Lane, I touch that trigger and we _all_ blow."

Lester rushed into the break room in a panic and Casey dropped Lane to the floor.

_"Oh man!_ There _it is!_ I have to have this laptop fixed by eleven for this weird…"

Both Casey and Lane whipped around and threw their arms out and with a holler.

_"Don't touch that!"_

They glared at each other and Lane broke into a deep sweat. Lester backed toward the door slowly.

"Why, what's wrong?"

"Just leave it and get out of here!" Casey snarled.

Lester hated to see John Casey mad and being on the receiving end of his anger. He straightened his tie and hair fretfully and sprinted from the room.

_"No! Damn!_ This is all wrong! It's not supposed to happen that way!" Lane yelled and sprung at Casey.

"That's right, you murdering bastard!" Casey roared. "You thought I couldn't change it? Well I can!"

He dove forward and clutched Lane. They toppled into the back of the truck. Lane got in a punch directly on his wound, Casey gripped it with agony, and rolled over, spying the real unfortunate driver face down between the boxed merchandise. Casey grasped the rusted bars of a hand truck and lifted them out of place. When Lane lunged for him again, Casey swung and whacked him in the jaw. Lane teetered against the truck wall from the impact and a weakened Casey continued his attack.

**-Oo-**

"Are you going to kill us all?" Julia whimpered to Costa. Her mind reeled with deep fear as she hugged Charlotte to her chest. _'" can't do this…I just can't go through this anymore…Oh God, John…where are you?" _She thought hysterically.

Costa nodded ominously. "Of course I am_,_ right after the fireworks. We have exactly…_five_ minutes."

_"Oh my God!_ What do you mean? What fireworks?" Julia demanded.

"The Buy More, my dear. It will be going up in a blaze of glory! My plans were a little distorted, but either way, I am going to do exactly what I purposed!"

_"I don't think so!_ John Casey's in there right now and he's gonna stop that explosion!" Chuck blurted out, and then grabbed him mouth, realizing his mistake.

Julia jumped up in horror and Charlotte scampered under the table, scrunching up against the wall and holding her face.

"Not daddy! _Not my daddy!"_ She bawled.

_"What! No! _He can't be in there!" Julia dropped down to console her daughter.

Costa swung around and cocked his gun on her. Sarah knew she had to act now. She leaped over the counter with her leg out and side-kicked his arm. The gun flew from his hand and smashed through the window. Chuck unlocked the door and ran out to pick it up. Costa fell to his knees, but Sarah wasn't finished.

"It doesn't matter what you do to me! I still win!" He cringed with pain.

Sarah ignored the ranting and body slammed him until he fell flat. She ran behind the counter and grabbed a pair of handcuffs, then came back and dragged him across the floor. She secured him against the base of the counter. Sarah turned to the window, only to glimpse Chuck making a mad dash to the Buy More. He left Costa's gun on one of the tables. She ran to the doorway.

_"Wait!_ Chuck no! Come back! _Chuck!"_

**-Oo-**

Chuck never ran so fast in his life, they were down to nearly three minutes. He scampered into the store and caught Lester grumbling at the Nerd Herd. Chuck slid across the floor and stopped himself by clinging to the desk.

"Where's Casey?"

"He's in the back, Chuck! He won't give me the laptop! I had to fix it by eleven o'clock for this guy whose going to be severely p'oed!"

Chuck grasped his collar. "Did you say, _eleven o'clock?"_

"Yes, Charles. Don't you clean your ears? _Hey!_ Don't stretch the collar!" Lester choked.

Chuck released him and practically flew to the loading dock. He saw the Buy More truck pull out speedily from the entrance. Chuck leaped off the dock and ran toward the front of the truck. He waved at Casey to stop. Chuck kept jumping up, trying to grab him. He managed to clutch the window, but Casey wouldn't slow down.

"Casey _stop the truck!_ You're gonna kill yourself!"

"Get the hell off, Chuck! It's over! Run back, _NOW!_" Casey used the last of his energy and shoved him down hard. Chuck fell back and landed on his behind.

Casey rammed the gas pedal, taking the truck as fast as it would go through the parking lot to a vacant section furthest away from the stores and consumers. This was the only way to end the nightmare. Lane popped up suddenly and grabbed him in a choke hold from behind. Casey gasped for air and lost his grip on the wheel. Lane clawed at him and covered over his eyes and the truck veered from left to right.

* * *

Costa came around and he reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small device. He counted down the seconds until it was precisely eleven. Sarah lunged for him with alarm. Costa didn't care; he already pushed the button.

* * *

Casey elbowed Lane in the face and knocked him out cold. He regained control of the vehicle and prevented it from driving onto a busy highway. The air fell dense. A deep hum pierced through his eardrums and Casey thrust around to look at the boxes behind him. The laptop was just a decoy trigger. Leave it to Costa to have an incendiary _plan B._ Casey shut his eyes and waited for death to come.

"We did it, thank you, _God…we did it."_ It was finally over.

**-Oo-**

Chuck's heart nearly stopped when he saw the explosion rip through the Buy More truck, sending huge, fiery chunks of metal flying in every direction. Fireballs jetted out and destroyed neighboring cars. The reverberation of the blast set off every car alarm in the lot. Chuck didn't realize how loud he screamed above the clamor; he was frozen to the spot, the blaze reflected in his wide, golden eyes. His body crumpled in distress and he landed hard on his knees. He scraped his palms across the gravel and sobbed.

"_Oh my God! _Casey! Why! _No! No! No!_"

The blast caused everybody to run out from the stores to see what had happened and then duck for cover as more fiery pieces of debris blew around. Sarah, having secured Julia and Charlotte in their covert room, ran out searching for Chuck through the black plumes of the smoldering haze. Casey averted the threat away from the store. She swallowed the lump in her throat, blaming the acrid smoke for the tears streaming down her face.

"You_ freaking_ meat head!" She screeched to the air. _"_Why didn't you wait for me?"

She heard Chuck groan in the center of the parking lot and raced over. He laid out on the gravel with his head in his arms. Sarah slid alongside him and tenderly rubbed his shoulders. Chuck fell against her and she soothingly rocked him.

"Sarah…_Sarah, Casey_…he did it…he saved us all."

"Chuck, _I'm so sorry_, I wish I would have known! I would have…"

"_No!_ There was nothing you could have done! Casey knew exactly what he had to do…oh God, Sarah! I feel like this is all my fault. He did this for _me!_ There's so much to tell you and I don't know where to begin…"

Chuck gasped in utter shock and words failed him. He pulled away from her and panted. "It _can't_ be…it can't…_wait_…yes…_yes it is!"_

Chuck leaped up and dragged Sarah up with him. Shielding their eyes from the smoke, they made out a tall, broad figure strutting toward them with menace and astonishment on his face. Chuck ran to him like a mad man and surprised him with a full hug.

"You're alive! _Alive!_ He was telling me the truth! _It's all true!"_ Chuck beamed with the smile of a lunatic.

Casey quickly returned the hug and then shoved him off self-conscious.

"_Of course_ I'm alive, Bartowski! I got here as quick as I could_. Walker,_ what's the status?"

Sarah looked as dumbfounded as Chuck and stammered. _"Uhh…umm_…as far as I know…only one casualty…_the driver _of the truck."

She gazed at the burning vehicle completely baffled. Chuck ranted on and on about Casey being in the Buy More and trying to stop this bomber, and now here Casey was, claiming he just arrived. Chuck had major explaining to do, but now was not the time. She walked over to them and then grabbed Casey's arm anxiously.

"I have the bomber in the Orange, Orange! Julia and Charlotte are in the Castle. _C'mon!"_

Casey's eyed them astonished. "My family? They're _really _here?"

"Yes, Casey, it was supposed to be a surprise for you…oh this is _so awful_ for them." Sarah hurried back to the shop.

Chuck was about to run with her, but Casey grabbed him. _"Hold up,_ Chuck! What do you know about all this? _Who _was driving that truck?" He insisted.

Chuck spied a profound fear and burning intensity in Casey's eyes. His strong fingers dug into his arms, waiting for an answer he already seemed aware of. Chuck swallowed hard and sputtered delicately.

"_Y..y…you…You _were, Casey, _you were."_


	25. déjà vu

**Chapter 25: déjà vu**

The air stifled him. Major John Casey finished off his water bottle and tossed it in the back of his car. He squinted at the immense dome stationed just off the Edwards Air Force Base.

_'I know I've seen this place before.'_ He thought as he drove through the terminal. He flashed his NSA badge to the lone blonde guard stationed out front.

"Everything checks out, Tim."

"I know, Sir. I just have to make a clearance call."

The area was practically deserted, Tim informed him, but the official he needed to speak to was still inside and waiting. Casey held off the other NSA Agents that accompanied him for the raid. He parked his car and strode into the building. On the outside he retained his stalwart form and hardhearted appearance, but his insides trembled in knots. The letter he received yesterday morning was crumpled in his pocket, he read it over five times. That Saturday evening, after comforting Julia and Charlotte and situating them at his home, he had a meeting in the Castle with Chuck and Sarah. A meeting that was sans General Beckman at Chuck's pleading.

They patiently allowed Chuck to tell his whole side of the amazing story. Sarah had trouble wrapping her head around the time travel theory, but Chuck's earnestness forced her to believe him. He never lied to her before. Casey chose not the reveal the letter he received, so he grunted and scoffed in all the appropriate places, but his heart believed otherwise. Had _he_ rescued Chuck that morning, it was exactly as it would have played out, right down to slapping the nerd to his senses and removing the bullet with dirty house tools. Chuck concluded his rescue story by saying that the other Casey looked like a man broken, one that had lost his whole world and had the weight of humanity on his shoulders.

"How _Christ like_ of me…" Casey pondered. "_Would_ _I _have done all that?"

When he returned to his apartment to tuck his daughter into bed, and lovingly embrace Julia…he had his answer.

**-Oo-**

Casey stormed down the bright corridor, and into a darkened room softly lit with the glow of data screens and a giant satellite shot of planet earth. A woman sat before the screen with her hands on her face, and barely moved. Casey found the light switch and flicked it on, illuminating the sparsely furnished area. He gaped at the intricate computer systems and mesh of wires and hook-ups. The woman turned around and Casey was struck with an unexpected sensation. She was a beautiful brunette, tanned, short and voluptuous with warm brown eyes that were red rimmed from intense crying. She quickly rubbed them and stood.

"Do…do I _know you?"_ She asked with a glare of recognition.

_"Perhaps. _I'm Major John Casey of the NSA. Agent Jones, you sent me this long, _mind-boggling_ letter." Casey held it out to her. "Is that your handwriting?"

Rhea approached him cautious, he was a huge, ruggedly attractive man from head to toe. She glanced at the first page.

_'Dear John…'_ It began casually.

"Yes, that is, but I _didn't…"_

Casey watched as she faltered. She rushed back to the table and sunk into the chair. He came alongside her, and noticed she had a similar letter addressed to _'Dear Rhea…' _in the same hand-writing._  
_

Casey swallowed hard. He was here for a specific purpose.

"There's no sense in _lying,_ Agent Jones. I know much about the work that is done at this complex and I'm here with a team of Agents to dismantle it."

Rhea rolled back in her chair sharply and threw out her arms. "Go _ahead! _Take everything! This satellite system is the bane of my existence…of anyone's existence! I'm so sorry about what happened. If I had known I would have tried to warn you just like…_she did…"_

Casey heaved a sigh and plunked down in the chair, he rubbed his temples and then glanced at her inquisitively.

"Jones, I need you to tell me everything about this satellite and don't skimp on the details. Washington is gonna want a full report."

Rhea stared hard at him. "I feel like we've been through all this before, Major."

"If all this _is_ true, then we have, but for the present, I need to know what the hell is going on here. We have your boss, Costa, in our custody."

"That's _impossible_. Costa is out of the country. He gave me the orders to shut down operations sometime around 3:00am this morning and he wouldn't say where he was. It looks like I'm back to waiting tables and giving massages." She said wryly.

Casey glared at her. _"_No, at 3:00am _this_ morning, Costa was in a cushy holding cell designated by Washington until further notice and I…"

Casey's cell phone jangled. "Hold on, Jones, we're definitely not through."

Casey stepped out of the room to take the call; it was Sarah and she sounded furious.

"Walker, what is it?"

_"Casey, its Victor Costa…he's dead. The guards just found him in his cell, he took cyanide pills, dammit!"_

Casey stared through the door at the monitor and then at Rhea. Something was definitely wrong with this whole set-up.

"Alright. Bag him and tag him then, he's no use to us now. I have a feeling this isn't over for us, but I have to go, I'm in a meeting. I'll brief you later."

_"Looks like it's all through for now then, huh?"_

"Sure…_looks like_."

Casey folded the phone slowly, his brow knitted frustrated. He returned to the room.

"What was that you said about massages? I can sure use one right now. Your boy Costa is dead, he offed himself in our holding cell."

Rhea stood up disgruntled. "That's just great! But it's the _wrong _Costa! Major, let's stop skirting the issue here. The issue is _this satellite_ and its capabilities. You have a letter, I have a letter, apparently written by _me_…from a future that _no longer_ exists because _your_ future self went back and changed it!"

Rhea grew bolder and paced around him. _ "_Plus, you have a direct eyewitness in Chuck Bartowski. Don't you think, Major Casey, that if _you_ could have went back in the time machine, then Costa, who helped my husband _invent it_…might have went back and tried and secure his own future? He knew his future was doomed, so he must have somehow got in touch with himself and that's why this present Costa abandoned ship here!"

Casey narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms lost in thought. Chuck told him about his flash in the Orange Orange and said he saw events that never actually happened. That was only possible if the Costa he saw was the one who _succeeded_ in bombing the Buy More. Casey held his head and growled at the confusing tangle of events.

"I can't believe this! You mean to tell me he's still out there?"

_"Yes!_ He's a very devious man, Major. He's no doubt hiding somewhere half way across the world, restoring his funds and rebuilding his headquarters as we speak! _I hate him! _I hate everything about him! He murdered my husband!"

She cried out, and then took a deep breath to calm herself. Major Casey was a man of few words, and he didn't seem to appreciate outbursts of emotion from anyone. However, when she glanced up, she saw a glare of sympathy in his eyes. She wanted to kick herself; she was sure she had seen it before. She approached him calmly.

"_Okay, _call in your troops. Take this sucker apart, but don't forget Costa's satellites are stealth, it's gonna take a while for your team to find them. He most likely changed the coordinates."

"They're not going to stop until they do find the satellites, Jones. You're going to have to go to Washington and testify. Actually, you and anyone else involved in this project. I'll make sure they give you protective custody. If Costa is really alive and finds out you blew the whistle, well…we _know_ he can find you."

"Major, you have to believe that I was not involved in any of his schemes, none of us were! We…_I…"_

Casey grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. _"I believe you. _I doubt my future self could have gotten through this whole mess with the time machine alone."

Rhea gazed at him and developed a profound feeling of desire and loss and she knew he sensed it too.

"Major, I keep getting this strange vibe about _us."_

"_I know."_ Casey whispered, a hairsbreadth away from face. "I guess it's just what they call, _déjà vu__."_ He compulsively brushed a tendril of hair from her cheek.

"What is the NSA going to do about all this?" She sighed, her skin tingled from the warmth of his fingertips.

"We'll be keeping tabs for the present, along with the C.I.A_. _and we will track Costa down. We have our _extra special_ resource handy. _Oh_…and just a reminder, let's keep the time travel amongst ourselves."

"I kept copies of most of my records and research from my work with Costa. He's going down harder than the twin towers. I have _no _plans to talk about time travel to the bigwigs in DC, Major."

"Good, because they'll tie us both up in straight jackets, after it's assured that _they_ can have the power to manipulate the time stream continuum."

He picked up his communicator. "Alright guys, come in and make it quick. Agent Jones is not resisting…_take care of her, _that's an order_."_

Rhea's eyes watered and she turned away. She stared forlorn at the database for the last time.

"You know, Major, looking at you I somehow can't help feeling like a two-time loser."

Casey remained silent; she didn't refer to her dealings with Costa and satellites. He didn't know what to say to her, but he fully understood. It was made perfectly clear in her letter. The past Rhea Jones had been in love with him…and Casey had somewhat reciprocated.

Rhea let out a stifled laugh and faced him again. _"So_, what are your plans right now?"

Casey straightened up and took a deep breath. He leaned against the doorway with a crooked smile.

"Honestly? Right now I'm going home to enjoy a steak dinner with my family…and _friends."_

**The End**


End file.
